Origin
by Tolaya
Summary: Sequel to 'On Seeker Habits'. Starscream is together with Thundercracker and Skywarp back among their people. But the seekers haven't been left unscarred by the missing presence of their leader and the orns following their return is filled with spilled energon as Thundercracker cements his position as their Winglord.(Ful summary inside.)
1. Chapter 1

Welcome dear reader to the sequel to On Seeker Habits. If you aren't familiar with this universe i suggest you go and read it and then returns to Origin afterward. This is a rather AU story featuring the seekers as a seperate race with tradition and culture of their own, which is heavily described in On Seeker Habits. Origin is leaning heavily on the prequel.

For those of you familiar with On Seeker Habits. I bid you welcome to the prologue to Origin. The prologue is going to feature the orns following Thundercracker's return to Cybertron and the fate of their people. Future chapters will not rely completely on it, since i plan to have chapter 1 jump to 8-9 lunar cycles after the happenings in the prologue. I just felt you needed to know how everything went after their return and how the seekers fared in the absence of their Winglord.

I hope you will feel as satisfied as i am after you have read it.

For the muse: "Uncover" by Zara Larsson. I suggest listening to it while reading, or simply just listening to it in general. It is a nice piece of music, really inspiring and i feel that it fits the agenda for Origin as a whole perfectly.

* * *

The full summary:

Sequel to 'On Seeker Habits'. Starscream is together with Thundercracker and Skywarp back among their people. But the seekers haven't been left unscarred by the missing presence of their leader and the orns following their return is filled with spilled energon as Thundercracker cements his position as their Winglord. Peace seems to settle afterwards, but little do they know that something is going to drag the seekers into the war between the Autobots and Decepticons once again. Starscream is haunted by nightmares and a sense of dread which leads him to leave Cybertron. What he discovers on Earth is leading to a startling revelation and the final end of the war between the two grounder factions forever. Now is just to see how the Autobots and Decepticons are going to survive and handle Thundercracker as their ultimate leader.

* * *

Klik - 1 second

Astrosecond - 2.5 second

Breem - 2 minutes

Cycle - 1 hour

Orn - 31 hours

Solar cycle - 1 week

Lunar cycle - 1 month

Stellar cycle - 1 year

Vorn - 83 years

* * *

Pure carnage.

Worse than the worst massacre he has witnessed during the Autobot and Decepticon war.

It is impossible to compare the scene in front of him with anything he has ever seen before.

Beside him Skywarp leans casually against Spitfire, the carrier's smaller creations covering him completely as they watch their Sire fight against challenger after challenger.

The black and purple seeker doesn't twitch once, not even when Thundercracker roars in pain when his left wing is almost torn from his back. The next moment the severed wing sails towards him and lands just short of his thruster, ripped from the blue frame by Thundercracker himself.

That Starscream somehow understands. The wing is useless anyway and is just going to be a hindering in the vicious fighting and any hindering is going to cost the Winglord his life.

Fangs is bared and Thundercracker tenses in preparation before he lungs at his opponent, ripping into the challenger's neck and ruthlessly severs the helm from the frame.

The victorious roar is reverberating all over the gathered group of their seekers, their people.

Then the next challenger is pushed forth, hateful yellow optics staring at the battered frame of the Winglord. Thundercracker is a mess, and with his wing severed, unable to take to the sky and weaken his opponent with his sigma.

/What do you plead?/ Thundercracker growls, crouching in preparation for the new fight, flexing his claws menacingly.

/Staraxis was weak. I don't regret killing him./ the challenger answers, tone a defiant sneer.

/Staraxis was a strong and worthy clan leader. Ganging up on him like you and so many others did to your own peoples leaders in my absence is not how our society works. Fair and worthy challenges, not outright murder!/ Thundercracker roars, energon splashing from several wounds as his frame prepares itself for the intense fight.

This is the final challenge, the last in a long row of executions of seekers going rogue in his absence and the fact that he is still standing, however battered, is a testimony to their people that Thundercracker is still very much their Winglord.

The energon drenched ground and the pile of carcasses in the periphery of the battle field is another testimony to never break their ancient rules. Death is a fact in their lives, but the rules are strict so the deaths don't become pointless murder.

When the fight begins, Starscream almost looks away, but the harsh words Skywarp told him before all this began are stark in his processor and he forces himself to look on, even if his spark bleeds at the sight of Thundercracker once again risking his life.

_/You are a member of the Winglords trine. Never show weakness, don't look away no matter how bad it looks. This is how we are; you need to harden yourself to be able to watch the death matches. Everyone's optics is going to be on us, and especially you since you are new to them./ _Skywarp had sternly explained.

Out of the corner of his optics he can see Skywarp smile and nod to him before the black and purple seeker turns to watch the fight.

::It is over soon. Relax Starscream. Thundercracker is strong, and if you didn't believe it before, you can see it for yourself now. He isn't going to lose. He has something to fight for. Justice and righteousness.:: Skywarp sooths over the bond, closing out Thundercracker for a moment to not distract the dominant from the ongoing fight.

::I'm trying. But all that damage… His wing. His plating. He is bleeding out. How can you be this calm in the face of all that damage?:: Starscream protests weakly, retreating inside his processor, focusing on the bond and remains outwardly focused on the fight in front of him, while he flees the reality for a short moment.

::The same way Spitfire and our younger creations is watching this. I'm used to seeing these fights. Granted, this is to the extremes, but the accusations are also severe and our absence has weakened Thundercracker's position as Winglord in the society. This way he regains our people's faith while also sentencing the guilty for the murders of their clan leaders in unfair challenges.:: Skywarp calmly explains.

Any further talk between them is disrupted by another roar from Thundercracker. When Starscream refocuses on the two combatants a deep long gouge is bleeding profusely from the blue seeker's chestplate, a hinge hanging slightly and the sight chills his energon.

::Skywarp…:: He panics over the bond, this time forgetting to block out Thundercracker and the hiss from Skywarp, when the black and purple seeker realizes that Starscream is too distressed to realize that what he is doing is distracting Thundercracker, is deafened by an unholy roar.

::MINE TO PROTECT! MINE TO SHIELD!:: Thundercracker almost bellows through their bond, shocking both submissives and the infusion of rage in the Winglord is almost suffocating.

The next moment Skywarp shields Starscream and Spitfire is in front of Skywarp and his creations, just as the sonic boom is unleashed in close proximity, flattening anyone unprepared and jarring the two submissives and the young dominant shielding them.

::Not good.:: Skywarp communicates through their bond, trying to find his footing and checking the wellbeing of his creations. Small confused chirrs leaves the seekerlings and seekerlets and Spitfire shakes his helm, trying to regain his focus and be prepared to protect his Sire's submissives again should it be needed. His own mates aren't present, which is why he doesn't have any conflicting priorities.

Starscream places a servo to his chestplates and checks on his newspark. Nothing seems to have jarred it; it is just himself who is shaken from the sheer force unleashed.

::Sorry. I forgot.:: He apologizes, optics wide as he turns to look at Thundercracker. The dominant's protective coding has activated because of his unblocked outburst and Thundercracker is thoroughly mauling his opponent, claws and fangs slicing and tearing at the defenseless seeker.

Slowly he is aware of the spectators recovering, and he can feel their terror at the vicious sight of their Winglord caught in the madness created by the coding.

::I don't think anyone is going to challenge him for a while after this.:: Skywarp adds in a voice unusually light. ::Not as long as you are carrying.::

Starscream chuckles nervously and with relief watches as Thundercracker finally finishes with his opponent's carcass and uncaringly throws it onto the pile with the others.

His relief is short, because with the fight over with, Thundercracker turns to him, the coding white optics flashing.

Spitfire moves a safe distance away. His creator isn't going to be able to recognize him as long as the coding flows through Thundercracker. Starscream suddenly feels extremely vulnerable and the feelings flowing through the bond makes Thundercracker bare his fangs in a hiss.

/Go to him./ Skywarp urges, gently pushing at him to move before Thundercracker begins to walk to him.

Starscream is self-conscious about all the optics fixed on him as he takes stumbling step after stumbling step, bringing him within reach of his dominant. Fearful, he lifts his helm and looks up at Thundercracker, the smell of the energon flowing from the wounds nauseating.

The white optics follows the line of his frame, mapping him out before claws begins to trace his plating, checking him for any hurt. The dominant's helm cants and his gaze fixates on the chestplates, the claws kneading the plating, clearly sensing the life pulsing within the sparkchamber.

Slowly white is replaced by yellow and Thundercracker whirrs with his helm to clear his processor of the after effect of the protective coding.

Starscream is unable to stifle a small sob, and the tiny sound is enough to momentarily reactivate the coding again, white flashing in the dominant's optics before it goes completely dormant.

The mangled remains of Thundercracker's left wing hinge rattles and he kneels in front of Starscream, embracing the now trembling tricolored seeker, folding his right wing to shield them from the attention of their people.

/Are you okay Starscream?/ Thundercracker gently asks, his helm resting against the submissive's chestplates, sighing at the sound of the two pulsing sparks.

/Yes./ Starscream answers, his helm feeling strangely light and before he knows it awareness is leaving him and Thundercracker, sensing him slip away, supports his slack frame before gently lifting it and leaving the battle field, Skywarp silently following, leaving their people behind to care for their third.

Thundercracker's position is secured and reinforced.

Now they just need to find the seekers able to fill the dozen open clan leader spots in their society and peace can settle. Until then the 'Swiftstrike' clan is larger than ever before with the momentary merge of the leaderless clans. Until the new leaders are found Thundercracker is their direct leader to prevent any further destruction of the ranks.

Swiftstrike looks up when the trio walks towards Thundercracker's resting area, the clan leader taking in his creation's severe damages with slight worry.

He himself only survived the divide of their people due to Spitfire's support. The Winglords young dominant creation easily discouraged everyone from trying to hit the leading clan leader's position in Thundercracker's absence.

The fact that Thundercracker suddenly went missing, and no transfer of the glyph happened to reinforce Swiftstrike's command over their people was what led to the infraction and destruction of the ranking in several of the clans.

In that Megatron succeeded in his goal.

But now Thundercracker is back, and slowly normalcy is taking over.

Most of the dissident is calming.

And the new member completing the Winglord trine is easing the worst rebelliousness among their people. They have waited for Thundercracker to complete his trine for so long, and now that he has, curiosity turns towards the Winglord Third and the new member in their society.

So far, no one has dared to talk to Starscream. The fact that he is carrying together with the instability in their society make Thundercracker guard him fiercely. But the dominant's protectiveness isn't silencing the talking among their people and can't stop the curious glances shot at the unusually tricolored seeker.

Thundercracker lowers Starscream gently in the soft nesting material, servos caressing the innocent faceplates, and a small smile forms on his lips when a soft sigh escapes the black lips.

/Let me tend to you./ Skywarp murmurs, sitting down beside the recharging Starscream and tugging gently at Thundercracker to do likewise. The wounds are still running with fresh energon, and needs to be closed soon or Thundercracker is going to bleed out.

/Allow me to strengthen you, my Winglord?/ Swiftstrike asks submissively, offering his wrist for Thundercracker to feed from. Right now Thundercracker is the most important seeker, and his survival is essential to their further existence.

/Creator…/ The blue seeker whispers, yellow optics bright, lips slightly agape. Thing must truly have been bad for his creator to change like this.

/No Thundercracker. You need this. Things are stabilizing, but your current weakness is a threat to our people as a whole. We need you back on your thrusters and in the air as fast as possible. You have seeded fear in them for the moment, but soon they are going to see how weak you are and true challenges are going to come forth." Swiftstrike protests adamantly, his yellow optics hardening as he with a claw slithers the energon lines in his wrist and the scent of the desperately needed fuel is what finally breaks Thundercracker.

When the Winglord sits down to feed from his creator, Skywarp instantly pounces on the mangled remains of the left wing, nanites at ready to seal the horrendous damage. While he works, Spitfire walks up to their resting area, the discarded wing in his claws and he gently places it beside his creator. It is useless and un-attachable, but the metal in it is precious and is going to support Thundercracker in the regrowth of the new.

After that the young dominant hesitates for a while, torn between leaving or staying until Thundercracker nods and gestures for him to rest with them.

/Carri is bringing your mates./ Thundercracker adds to the nervous flicker of the red wings.

/Good, because I can't fragging deal with all this damage alone./ Skywarp grumbles as he seals torn line after line. /Sit down and relax Spit. Your Sire isn't going to hurt you./ he adds when Spitfire just keeps standing as if ready to flee at any sign of hostility from the Winglord.

Moments later the sound of hushed voices grows and they all look up to see the carrier and Spitfire's two mates walking towards them. Wings are communicating in a frenzied flurry and worry is the most obvious emotion visible in them.

/Sky Above! My poor little 'Loud in the air'!/ The carrier exclaims when they look towards the gathering at the resting area and before Thundercracker knows it, he is almost tackled to the ground with his carrier on top of him, fuzzing and checking every single scratch on his frame with horror.

This is the reason for why he banned the blue and yellow seeker from watching the fighting. But he can't prevent his carrier from fuzzing over him afterwards and with an exasperated sigh he allows claws to gingerly inspect every inch of his frame.

/I'm not dying Carri. Please stop fuzzing so Skywarp can carry on with the repairs./ he argues after a while.

/And your wing… Oh my poor creation./ The carrier keeps fuzzing, not even listening to the protests. It is first when Skywarp gently places a servo on a trembling wing and reaches the other with the nanites to the carrier that the fuzzing stops and silence takes over as the four submissives tends to the Winglord.

With a deep sigh and a thankful thought to Skywarp through the bond, Thundercracker relaxes and dozes off. The care to his frame is soothing the worst of the hurt, and the energon in his tank is strengthening him, but the loss of essential fluids has been great and that as well as the damages is taxing on him.

Swiftstrike shares a worried glance with Spitfire when Thundercracker so carelessly enters recharge in their presence.

It is true that they are close, but a dominant usually never trusts another dominant to be this close while he rests when in such a vulnerable state.

It speaks volumes about the extent of the damages Thundercracker has suffered and the clan leader fears that it will take a long while before the Winglord is able to rule them. That means he will have to stand a united front with the seekers who supported him during Thundercrackers absence, until Thundercracker is well enough to take over.

Drawn from his worry he narrows his optics and turns his attention towards the sound of approaching steps.

Silvershade and Crossfire stops a distance away, wings held properly submissive as they watch the hurried work on Thundercracker's frame to seal the wounds.

/Salvacia and Allevaria asks me to offer their services to the Winglord./ Silvershade speaks, optics on the severed wing. They might be able to reattach it if it happens soon.

Skywarp looks up from his work momentarily stunned, and then he smiles widely and rises to greet the two dominants properly.

/The Trine welcomes the generous offer. Tell your mates that Thundercracker accepts their offer of healing./ he replies, accepting the offer to restore Thundercracker faster. He trusts Silvershade and his mates, his own encounters with the pair of healers something that binds them close.

/I and my mates offer to take care of your creations in the time it takes Thundercracker to recover./ Crossfire speaks up when the first offer is accepted. He is aware that his offer is more delicate. It all relies on the trust Skywarp has in him to not hurt or kill the Winglords creations, and his ability to protect them from those who might want to.

Swiftstrike bristles at the offer, the elder dominant protectively hugging one of the seekerlets to him, optics narrow and distrusting, but it is up to Skywarp to decide. It is his creations and he has the first say in any matter regarding their welfare.

/Thunderstorm is still too young to leave me, but the others are fine. I accept your offer with the rule that they all recharge by my side./ The black and purple seeker answers, rubbing his cockpit where his youngest still rests.

Crossfire nods in acknowledgement and then lets out a small trill, causing the seekerlings and seekerlets to flock to him, settling all over his frame and leaving the mature seekers to work on their Sire. As he turns away from the grisly sight of Thundercracker's mangled frame, Silvershade escorts him away before seeking out his own mates to send them to assist Skywarp and the others.

* * *

Thundercracker slowly regains awareness as he rouses from recharge to a warm and burning sensation in his frame originating from his left wing hinge.

The sensation grows exponentially and soon becomes outright unpleasant when a previously numb and missing sensor net begins to send countless messages to his processor, telling him that his left wing is practically on fire.

The flood of data causes him to online his optics with a snarling growl and he tries to roll his frame to deal with the unpleasant intense burning feeling, but a heavy weight on his back efficiently pins him down while the burning just grows and grows.

As he howls in pain, his processor works with the mystery of when and how he ended up on his front? He clearly remembers entering recharge on his back.

/Calm down Thundercracker./ Skywarp growls near his audio, a soothing servo on his right wing.

/No! Let me up!/ The blue dominant snarls, claws digging into the ground to use it to throw the weight on his back off. His instincts are howling in outrage. He is too vulnerable like this. Easy prey for anyone who wants to kill him, and there is still many of those among their people. He is weakened, vulnerable. It is going to be his death, and the death of his mates, of their creations, of…Starscreams unborn…

/No! No Thundercracker! Everyone CLEAR! Rouse Starscream!/ Skywarp is off of the dominant instantly, backing away, dragging Spitfire with him while the carrier is by Starscream and gently trying to wake him.

Without the burden on his back, Thundercracker rises in all his impressive might, white optics scanning his surroundings, wings flared; his left wing hanging a bit from where Allevaria still needs to properly reattach it.

/Calm down Thundercracker. No one is going to hurt you or any of us./ Skywarp tries to sooth, taking a tentative step forward, but stopping at a threatening hiss. He clearly isn't the one Thundercracker needs at the moment and his optics flickers to where the carrier finally has managed to rouse Starscream.

::Rise and shine Starscream. Thundercracker wants you. Please do whatever it is he demands from you so he calms down and we can continue our work on him.:: Skywarp explains to the tricolored seeker, unsure what is needed to calm Thundercracker enough to send the protective coding into dormancy again.

Was Thundercracker like this when it just where the two of them? he wonders, not remembering Thundercracker ever being this aggressive during his own times of carrying, but then, he hadn't been the target himself back then.

::What did you do to make him react like this?:: Starscream asks nervously, watching as the blue and yellow carrier backs away from him and out of range of Thundercracker when the dominant finally locates Starscream.

::It seemed like a good idea to reattach his wing while he recharged. Turns out he didn't like that we rearranged him to do so.:: Skywarp explains in a small voice, slightly hurt by the fact that it is Starscream Thundercracker is so focused on. Never before has he had his dominant hiss threateningly at him like this.

::It was you who told ME that dominants don't like laying on their fronts when vulnerable.:: Starscream points out as he lifts his helm to stare up at the dominant towering above him, fluttering his wings enticingly and trilling a small soothing tune to Thundercracker.

::I know. I know. Just get him calmed down, please. It is thoughts about you and your newspark that triggered his coding, so it is only you who is able to deal with him it seems.:: Skywarp sighs, watching as Thundercracker kneels above Starscream, while the tricolored seeker leans back on the ground, wings still enticing and flirting.

::Is he really going to-:: Starscream stutters, when the air is forced out of him by the sudden weight of the dominant resting atop his frame, slow grinding movements bringing their pelvic plating against each other.

A low humming growl forces the seekers watching the display to take several steps back, and first when Thundercracker is satisfied with the distance does he release his spike, prefluids smearing the submissive's valve cover.

With a small sigh Starscream relaxes under the weight of his dominant and releases his cover to grant Thundercracker access to what he clearly wants at the moment and when the dominant thrusts into him, he moves his hips to meet the movement, momentarily forgetting that there is optics watching them in their intimacy.

Skywarp remains silent, aware that Starscream at the moment is lost to the moment and not aware of him or any of the others. He knows that the tricolored seeker still has a hard time accepting that seekers are this free, obscene and lewd while on public display. In that he is still very much a grounder, but moments like this is sure to cure him of that bashfulness.

Starscream buckles at a particularly forceful thrust, his optics offlining, and his lips parting and whispering gentle nonsense as intense pleasure wreaks havoc in his frame. Despite being controlled by coding, Thundercracker is surprisingly gentle and when he is able to online his optics again, he almost sobs at the gentleness. The thrusts are hard, forceful, but the slide of the spike in his valve is slow and caring.

/Thundercracker./ He whispers breathless, valve rippling in the rapidly approaching overload and he forces his optics to stay online through it, witnessing Thundercracker throw his helm back and hiss in pleasure as the valve clamps down on the spike before the maddening ripples of the valve brings the dominant over the edge and crashing in overload.

Completely spent he releases calming breath after calming breath as Thundercracker lowers his frame gently on top of him, resting and recovering. The weight doesn't bother him the least, and his attention is distracted by a small flutter within his spark chamber.

The newspark is clearly happy and Starscream smiles and coos in response.

Tentative steps sounds, and he cranes his helm to look past Thundercracker's left wing disrupting his sight.

/Thundercracker?/ Skywarp asks in a tiny voice, unsure if it yet is safe for him to come close.

A blow of air against his plating, and Thundercracker is rolling them, bringing Starscream on top of him and himself able to look at Skywarp and talk.

/It is okay Sky./ The dominant sooths, a smile on his lips as he stares at the black and purple submissive and the drooped wings. His processor is clearer and he now understands what they tried to do while he was in recharge. The feeling of the reattached wing is calming him and he is thankful for the work done.

/Can we… Will you allow Allevaria to finish his work?/ Skywarp asks, fidgeting, embarrassed that he made such a mistake. They should have waited, gained Thundercracker's consent. He hadn't realized how the reattaching would feel and how Thundercracker might react if he woke during the work.

Thundercracker's gaze moves to the seekers waiting at a safe distance, meeting the blue and red seeker's optics and nods.

Starscream rises from Thundercracker's frame to give the healer the space to work. The flow of Thundercracker's transfluids out of his valve as he stands makes him blush and he is now aware of the several seekers watching them, him, in his embarrassment.

That is when Skywarp steps up close to him, covering him in blessed black wings and the small privacy is easing the worst of his torn feelings. It is funny how little is needed to comfort him lately, but Skywarps calm and relaxedness is contagious.

A little kiss on his lips distracts him, and it is first when he feels a claw gently poke at his valve that he with a small whimper jolts in Skywarps embrace.

/What are you doing?/ He whines, starkly aware of the murmurs of voices all around him as he feels Skywarp further play with the entrance to his valve and the fluids still seeping from it.

/Showing you that you don't need to feel this embarrassed about mating publicly./ Skywarp explains in a lightly aroused tone. Black wings moves, no longer shielding them and Starscream stares around while Skywarp kneels and applies his lips to the entrance of the tricolored seeker's valve.

Starscreams cheeks heats even more, and he almost offlines his optics in embarrassment, but then he realizes what Skywarp is trying to show him.

No one is looking at them.

Several seekers are standing all around them, but they are talking together or looking at the work being done to Thundercracker, their attention not at all on the lewd display of the two submissives engaging in intimacy.

/You see?/ Skywarp inquire, lips moving from the valve for a moment and he looks up with sparkling yellow optics. /They are so used to seeing displays like this that they don't care about what we are doing. It is only you who feels their attention because you among the grounders have been raised to feel embarrassed about public intimacy./ the black and purple seeker explains with a little smile before he returns to the valve and with gentle strokes of his glossa cleans away any trace of Thundercracker's fluids.

As he looks around Starscream sees that Skywarp is right, and somehow understanding settles and eases the worst of his worry. Then he meets Thundercracker's gaze and the fire in the Winglords optics tells another story. HE isn't ignoring their display.

This time the blush isn't of embarrassment, but of completely other reasons, his wings fluttering, taunting and tantalizing.

/Want to give him something to truly appreciate?/ Skywarp asks with a grin, seeing Starscreams reaction to their dominant obviously enjoying seeing them together.

The tricolored seeker looks down at the black and purple, silently contemplating if he dares, but then gives a small nod, his attention returning to Thundercracker and the hypnotizing attention of their dominant.

With a gentle tug, Skywarp drags Starscream down to the ground with him, kneeling behind the tricolored submissive and spreading the thighs wide. Adjusting Starscream to kneel as well and lean against his frame, Skywarp hoists the other onto his frame so they are flush and his spike extends between Starscreams widely spread legs, rubbing at the valve obscenely at display for their dominant.

Then with a smooth gliding move he sheaths himself, his optics fixated on the blue dominant as he claims Starscream, a devilish smile on his lips.

The sight of Thundercracker straightening only to be pushed down by the healer still working is a boost of courage to the tricolored seeker, and the intensity of the flashing almost smoldering yellow optics is heating his frame further.

This he can never get enough of. Being on display like this in front of his dominant truly fries his circuits, setting his internals on a pleasurable fire.

::Skywarp...:: Thundercracker's dangerous purr causes shivers to run down their spinal struts. The anticipated promise of painful pleasure in that tone is heightening their arousal and not soon after they tumble over the edge and into overload together, Thundercracker's satisfaction at the sight bleeding through the bond.

When they collapse in an exhausted pile cycles later, Starscream finally, truly feels at home. For the first time the regret at leaving his creator behind on Earth doesn't fill his processor and Ratchet is long gone in memory.

* * *

Notes: I'm using the term 'Trine' in this since their people don't understand the meaning of the 'Triade', at least not yet.:)

Reviews and feedback makes me happy.


	2. Chapter 2

Time for another update. I have decided to split the chapter i had been working on into segments to make it easier for you all to move around in the time frames.

Enjoy.

* * *

Cybertron, 9 lunar cycles after Thundercracker's return:

_Starscream steps through the door to Ratchet's medbay, optics scanning the dimness of the large room. The room he always has felt safe and secure inside is filling him with dread as wary optics follows the walls, scanning for any life sign._

_The door to the CMO's office opens and out steps…_

_Firstaid._

"_I'm sorry Hound. There is simply nothing I can do." The medic sighs to the other occupant of the office as they leave it, both their statures slumped._

"_There must be something we can do. We can't let him die like that. Optimus needs him, we all do, or we are going to be wiped out." The tracker protests weakly._

"_If just Ratchet…" The medic sighs and shakes his helm in defeat. "I'm not as skilled as he was – is." Firstaid catches his phrase before Hound even has the chance to protest against the use of past tense. But they all know it is just a matter of time._

"_I wonder how Starscream is doing. Does he even know how we fare here on Earth?" Hound wonders out loud as the two autobots walks to the only berth currently occupied._

"_His bond with the both of you is severed. He doesn't feel anything from you. That much Ratchet told me." Firstaid answers dejectedly._

"_I know." Hound whispers. While Ratchet suffered greatly both physically and mentally, Hound only felt the emotional backslash._

_He regrets deeply having distanced himself from Starscream over the time of the seeker's maturity among them, but when it had happened, nothing could be done to fix it. Ratchet had become the center in the seeker's life and Hound had kept his distance, watched, but not truly participated in the seeker's life._

_They stops at the berth, Starscream walks up behind them to look at the occupant, and then looks away, optics offlining in grief at the sight of Ratchet, his creator, laid up with countless monitors connected to his frame, spark and processor, the spark rate unstable and weak._

"_I'm so sorry Starscream. I'm just not good enough." Firstaid whispers, as if he can feel Starscream is there with them._

Starscream onlines from the nightmare to the dark night sky high above, calmly glittering with the millions upon millions of stars.

It is just like the other nightmares that have haunted him during the last few solar cycles, and they are becoming worse and worse with every time he enters recharge.

Before the nightmares began to haunt him, Ratchet had been completely forgotten in his new life among his people. Now it all resurfaces and disturbs him in his recharge.

He untangles himself from Thundercracker's protective wing and sits up, rubbing his face in frustration until a tiny sound draws his attention and as he looks down he opens his cockpit and withdraws his little creation.

/Hungry? Or did my nightmare wake you as well?/ He murmurs to the barely one lunar cycle old seekerling, nuzzling the small translucent wings before he offers it a feeding line.

When it with a small chirp latches onto the offered fuel and begins to drain him, he looks up at the stars again, thoughts going to his creator and the nightmares about what might be going on, on Earth.

Is it just dreams, or reality?

Is his creator truly dying, or is it his mind playing games?

He has been wondering why none of their seekers has detected any return of the autobots to Cybertron.

Why aren't they returning?

But even as he asks himself that question, he is aware that one of the reasons might be that the seekers would fall upon them if they did.

Cybertron is ruled by the seekers now, the grounders are still being hunted as prey and even if Starscream can't get Thundercracker to stop it, he at least has managed to get Thundercracker to understand that he is never going to feed from a frame showing the autobot sigil, and that the prey needs to be dead when it is presented to him.

He shudders at the memories of the first autobot that had been dumped in front of him, struggling and pleading.

At least it hadn't been someone who he recognized and who recognized him, or the whole ordeal would have become that much more worse. But just hearing the pleas and understanding them had been horror enough.

It had been his first kill, and feeling how it tore the tricolored seeker apart from the inside, Thundercracker had understood and accepted his demands and not pushed him further.

The tears flowing from his optics as he had looked at his energon splattered frame and the greying autobot had caused the dominant to hold him tight and rock him soothingly, whispering apologies and promising to never put him through anything like it again. If he didn't want to kill, he didn't need to. Thundercracker would do that for him.

He lets go on the memory with another shudder and turns to look at Thundercracker and Skywarp still soundly in recharge.

He is torn between the need to know and the fear of disobeying his Winglord. But now is the best chance he has and something tells him that if he doesn't do something soon, it is going to be too late.

The seekerling releases his feeding line and enters a fitful recharge again, curling into a small ball in the center of his palm. Placing it back into the cockpit he secures its safety before rising and leaving the resting area.

He tells himself he is just going for a walk to get his thoughts straight, but soon he is at the edge of the resting area and looking towards the direction of the ruins of Kaon and the spacebridge.

Do or don't?

His mind is in uproar and he glances nervously back towards where Thundercracker is.

The Winglord is going to be so enraged when he realizes what he is doing.

Hopefully it will then be too late for the dominant to do anything.

"Ratchet. I'm coming." He whispers into the silence of the night, taking a few more steps and is out of sight of the members of the clan before he ignites his thrusters, transforms and blasts towards the ruins of the grounder city.

As he travels outside the forest and over hulking ruin after ruin of the once great grounder city states he detects the movements of the surviving grounders milling, rising during the only time on the planet where they can be somewhat safe.

His presence clearly startles them and causes them to scatter for shelter, but he carries on. He isn't a killer. He isn't there to feed.

He doesn't see them scurry from their meager protection as he has passed, curious optics following the unusual sight of a lone seeker as if they can feel the change to come reverberating in the air and ruthlessly reform their existence.

Soon Kaon is ahead, the countless toppled towers strewn all over the place telling the tale of all the horrors the citizens has experienced during the seekers reign. But even here Starscream senses them, the weak spark signatures.

He lands in front of the entrance to the spacebridge and gently pries the door open.

A small gasp sounds from within and he freezes. The spark signature within the building enters his awareness and he hesitates for a few astroseconds before taking the first step inside. Of the two of them, it is him who is the largest danger. He has nothing to fear from whoever it is that is inside.

Hurried scurrying sounds and as he walks further into the room, whimpers follows the movements.

"I'm not going to hurt you." He speaks carefully and the sound and movement stops for a moment before something moves to his right and he turns, coming face to face with the other.

"Oh Primus. No, no, no!" the scientist screams, momentarily deceived by the words in his own language to reveal himself, only to see the deadly sight of a seeker standing there, closing off the only escape from the room.

"I'm not going to hurt you." Starscream repeats firmly, seeing the scientist jolt at the words once again, the red optics widening.

"J-just do it! Don't play with me! Kill me. Do it!" Starscream stares shocked as the words slowly sink in and once again the memory of the autobot surfaces.

"I'm not going to." He answers adamantly, taking a step further into the room and away from the scientist, his optics glancing to the deactivated spacebridge. "Do you know how that one works?" he asks to hopefully calm some of the fear in the other.

The question seems to take the grounder by surprise and after almost a breem of silence Starscream turns to regard the scientist.

"Do you?" he asks, unable to hold back the small growl in his vocalizer.

The small threat is enough to make the scientist cower, but he nods in affirmation.

"I need you to activate it. When you have done so, I suggest you stay far away from this area for a while. Tell those you reside with to move out of Kaon. My presence here is not healthy for any of you." Starscream explains, aware that Thundercracker, if necessary, is going to rip the whole area apart to get to him.

With frenzied nodding the grounder moves to comply, the energy from the grid surges through the room, activating the light and brings the machinery to life in a flash of light. The spacebridge whirrs to life moments later and the purple vortex swirls calmly.

With a deep sigh Starscream looks at the beautifully entwining colors before preparing to step into it.

::STARSCREAM!:: Thundercracker's furious roar through the bond startles him and with a spark pulsing in fear at the sheer intensity of the anger, he hesitates. Base coding warns him against defying his dominant, and more importantly his Winglord.

The punishment is going to be severe and painful. More than the one he experienced when he stepped in-between Thundercracker and Ratchet. Back then he didn't understand what he did, now he does and Thundercracker isn't going to show any mercy.

::Starscream, where are you?:: Skywarps unsure and fearful voice almost breaks him, but ignoring the continued pleas, aware that both his mates can sense his feelings and intentions he steels himself and steps through the purple light.

Another one of Thundercracker's spark chilling enraged roar follows him into the nothingness of space.

The bond thins to almost nothing as distance stretches it wide and far. He can no longer sense any of them and he feels how the emptiness hurts in his spark.

Then his optics looks up into a bright sky and a young yellow sun.

He is back on Earth.

* * *

From the ethereal plane two celestial beings is watching the lone submissive with rapt attention. This is what The Sky Above has been waiting for to happen, and Solaris shares in his intense pleasure at seeing Starscream follow the path destined for him.

Soon everything will be uncovered and no more wars will wage among his creations.

The time for the forgotten ancient knowledge to be unlocked nears.

Their attention turns towards Cybertron and Thundercracker. The Sky Above has no doubt that the Winglord is going to pursue Starscream, and this is all part of his great plan.

Just like the nightmares he has sent Starscream during the last few solar cycles to get the seeker to leave Cybertron for Earth to uncover the forgotten truth.


	3. Chapter 3

Another chapter. Be aware that past tense only referes to the first instalment of this chapter, everything else is happening in the present.

Enjoy.

* * *

Earth, 3 solar cycles prior to Starscreams arrival:

The silence of the Ark is broken when klaxons reverberate through the buried spaceship, rousing the autobots to yet another skirmish with Soundwave and the decepticons the telepath has brought with him back to Earth.

Megatron is dead, but the war is far from over.

A new war has begun between the two grounder factions, a war for their only possible survival, Earth.

Cybertron is now a hostile world with a great enemy waiting for them to make the smallest mistake and reveal themselves. Earth is the only safe haven left for them and Soundwave has had no trouble convincing some of the decepticons from Cybertron to join him to wipe out the autobots for good and secure Earth for themselves.

Without Megatron, Optimus has it far easier to beat their long time enemy, but the sheer number Soundwave leads are evening the odds.

The decepticons' objective for this attack is however going to unbalance the odds to their favor and destabilize the autobots.

Soundwave is a skilled strategist, and knows that as long as the autobots are able to recover after the heavy fighting, the time for their victory is going to be pushed further and further into the future, wasting time he don't have if he is going to save his people from the seekers.

Once again it is one of Shockwaves old inventions that are going to cause havoc as the telepath locates his target among his adversaries, completely ignoring the Prime.

He takes aim at the unsuspecting 'bot and fires the weapon.

Ratchet has no chance to react and can only jerk when the projectile impacts with his plating and injects its content into an energon line.

He stares with wide optics and begins to stagger as his vision blurs and motor control slowly slips. Then he tumbles to the ground, unconscious, in stasis as the deadly disease is infecting every part of his frame, lastly heading towards his spark and infects it as well.

Around the downed medic any fighting stops, the autobots staring in horror, the decepticons waiting for Soundwaves orders now that the objective of the attack has been met.

As their enemy retreats, all the autobots can do is gather around their felled CMO.

"No, not Ratchet. Why?" Firstaid puts word on all their thoughts as he defeated kneels beside his old mentor and close friend.

As he begins the medical scanning and tries to counter the effect of the disease, tears begin to fall from his optics and the world around him is for a moment gone as he sifts through system after system only to confirm the thorough infection and realize that this is something he isn't skilled enough to deal with.

Only Ratchet…

"They crippled us at our weakness." He voices out in horror as the realization hits, looking helpless up at Optimus. "I can't cure this. I don't have enough knowledge to deal with a disease as invasive as this one is." He sobs in despair, servos holding cramp like onto the unresponsive red and white frame.

"Autobots, back to base." Optimus sighs, his blue optics staring with deep sorrow at the deadly still frame of one of his oldest friends before he transforms and begins the long road back to base with Ratchet secured in his trailer.

* * *

Soundwaves objective to take away the autobots' way of recovery might have succeeded, but at the same time he has put them all in great danger as Starscream stares at his surroundings and begins to triangulate the location of the autobot base.

The activation of the spacebridge doesn't go unnoticed by the autobots when Teletran 1 alerts them to the energy spike, and a flurry of communication flows through the autobot base.

So far they are unaware of the brewing trouble on Cybertron, and the consequences of Starscreams actions as the seeker locates the volcano and begins his flight towards the base.

Their worst case scenario is that it is Soundwave bringing more troops to Earth, not an unpleasant visit by the Winglord, the very enemy none of them wants to meet.

Thundercracker might have been lenient towards the autobots during the seekers previous stay on Earth, but that temporary truce, if the seekers even work with such one, broke at their departure from Earth.

Any contingency plan they might have is going to be useless when another energy spike is going to flare a few hours after the first, heralding Thundercracker's arrival on Earth.

But until that happens, their proximity sensors alert them to an incoming spark signature and as they gain a visual none of them are able to comprehend what they are looking at.

Starscream uncaringly transforms and lands on top of the volcano and looks around before he jumps of off the precipice and descends down into the crack at the base of the mountain and elegantly lands in front of the heavy blast doors.

With great care he pushes in the code to the door, and a klik later the doors begin to slide aside and grant him access to the base and the still stunned autobots gathered in the command center.

They all listens in disbelief as the sound of the tricolored seeker's thrusters moves closer and closer and when Starscream peeks in through the door, not a few of them feels like crashing.

Almost a year has passed since they last saw him and now he is there right in front of them. None of them had thought they ever would see him again, at least not on Earth.

"Starscream." Hound is the first to regain the ability to talk and he stares with wide optics at his adopted creation. Granted, Starscream doesn't see him as a creator any more, that's how the war has torn their little family apart when it escalated on Cybertron, but Hound still feels a connection to the seeker even if Starscream doesn't feel likewise.

"Where is Ratchet?" The wings flickers nervously as yellow optics unsuccessfully scans the room for his creator.

Deafening silence settles over the gathered mechs and no one dares breathe a word.

Finally it is Firstaid who steps forward, optics full of pain and sorrow.

"Dying." The medic answers, swallowing hard as he expects anger in retaliation from the seeker.

"I was right. They were true." Starscream breathes, and the relief in his voice startles them all.

* * *

On Cybertron, Swiftstrike is roughly roused from recharge by the Winglord. Thundercracker doesn't say a word, just places his right servo on the clan leader's chestplates and the elder seeker jolts when the glyph is transferred to him.

/Thundercracker… What is going on?/ he asks stunned, trembling slightly at the sight of the enraged Winglord. If Thundercracker hadn't just given him command over their people he would have thought the blue seeker about to kill him.

/Starscream./ Thundercracker just growls. Then he turns his back to the clan leader and stalks off, but a few steps away he turns to regard his creator. /If I'm not back within a solar cycle, send someone to find me. Crossfire knows where I am going, have him lead the group you send./

Swiftstrike just nods and warily watches as Skywarp, unusually subdued, sidles up to Thundercracker and the pair walks to the edge of the resting area and takes to the sky.

The scientist heeded Starscreams warning and when Thundercracker and Skywarp lands at the spacebridge no sign of any of the grounders living in Kaon's underground is detectable.

With a rough shove, Thundercracker pushes the submissive in front of him through the doorway and into the room. Crouching he stares with smoldering optics at the still fluctuating portal.

/Starscream./ he growls, the sound promising intense agony for the unfortunate seeker when the Winglord gets his claws in him.

/Please, don't Thundercracker./ Skywarp whimpers, groveling at the intense feelings flowing through the bond.

/Not a word Skywarp./ the dominant hisses dangerously, optics flashing at the subdued submissive cowering and groveling on the floor in front of him

/I'm sure he has a very good rea-/ Skywarps words are cut off abruptly when Thundercracker seizes him around the neck and lifts him from the floor.

/Not. A. Word./ The words a punctuated with rough shakes and Skywarp nods weakly and breaths heavily when Thundercracker releases him.

With a harsh grip on a black wing Thundercracker forces Skywarp through the portal together with him and into the nothingness of space before they rematerialize on Earth mere astroseconds later.

* * *

Starscream instantly feels when the bond reforms into its usual strong connection to his mates and the silent bellow ringing through it when Thundercracker senses him jolts him from his place beside Ratchet's berth.

Murderous rage.

There is nothing else describing the emotions flowing from Thundercracker and to Starscreams worry he can't sense anything from Skywarp.

Firstaid, seeing his stiffening jolt inquires something to him, but Starscream is so caught up in the bond to hear the words.

His feelings are in turmoil.

Had he really thought that Thundercracker wouldn't follow him?

When he looks down at Ratchet again, he can't suppress a tremble at the prospect of seeing his creator only to have Thundercracker ruthlessly take everyone residing on Earth away from him in a murderous rage.

Momentarily offlining his optics he tries to calm his panicking spark, but it only succeeds slightly with the continued violent emotions filling it from Thundercracker.

With a deep sigh he realizes that there is no other way for him to solve this, other than confront Thundercracker.

Casting a last glance down at the supine Ratchet he walks out of the medbay, turning in the door to regard the younger medic.

"Seal the blast doors and pile up anything you can find against them. I…don't know if I'm going to come back." He adds, hoping that he can intercept Thundercracker before the Winglord arrives at the volcano. Then he turns to walk out the door.

"Starscream." Firstaid halts him and the seeker turns to him again, "What is going on?" the medic asks.

"Thundercracker. Thundercracker is on Earth. I am so sorry." Starscream answers and with that he leaves the medbay, leaving a stunned Firstaid alone to comprehend the severity of the statement.

As Starscream takes to the sky he hears the activation of the klaxons within the spaceship and a sad smile forms on his lips before he transforms and flies towards the location of the spacebridge. At least they are going to be safe; his safety is another matter.


	4. Chapter 4

**Warning: Sexual content. Violence. Gore. Beware.**

* * *

When Starscream closes in on the location of the spacebridge, Thundercracker shoots up from a small clearing a small distance away and blasts towards him. He is well aware of their little game of 'cat and mouse', but now is not the time to enrage his dominant further.

He submissively allows Thundercracker to herd him to the ground and transforms, unsure of what to expect.

What he doesn't expect is to see Skywarp in the center of the small clearing, all perfect submission; kneeling on the ground, servos in his lap, wings flush against his frame, helm and optics down cast. The black and purple seeker doesn't even twitch when Starscream lands, doesn't acknowledge his presence at all.

This is a side of Skywarp he hasn't seen before and the sight causes his spark to quiver in fear as Thundercracker lands behind the other submissive, all the opposite of their black and purple mate.

/Starscream./ the Winglord snarls, his wings flared high and wide, fangs bared, lips quivering in open hostility, yet the feelings in their bond is restrained.

It doesn't sooth him the least; it only shows how thoroughly he has enraged Thundercracker if the dominant is keeping his emotions in check like this. As if the smallest trigger is going to unleash his wrath upon his unfortunate target.

Looking from Thundercracker to Skywarp, Starscream is aware that Skywarp is a wordless cue for him if he wishes to get out of this somewhat unscarred. His thoughts are on his little one in the cockpit as he slowly kneels and mirrors Skywarp.

Thundercracker isn't going to kill him, or hurt him so much that he can't take care of the little one. That much he knows and it eases some of his worry, yet Thundercracker has plenty of ways to make the punishment agonizingly painful.

Silence stretches on in the clearing and he can feel Thundercracker's optics focused intensely on him. The position on the ground is growing more and more unpleasant, but he forces himself to remain still. This is a part of his punishment and the small discomfort he currently feels is nothing compared to what he knows is coming.

Finally he hears Thundercracker move and he dares raise his optics slightly, keeping his helm down.

He instantly looks away when he realizes that the dominant's smoldering yellow optics are trained on him as Thundercracker demonstratively hoists Skywarps aft into the air, exposing the black and purple submissive's valve, while Skywarp in reflex moves his servos from his lap to brace at the ground and rests his helm on them.

Then with a snarl Thundercracker harshly thrusts and penetrates Skywarp to the hilt.

A small yelp escapes the black and purple submissive at the slightly painful penetration and is instantly punished by claws raking down the black wings.

How Skywarp manages to stay silent afterwards and just take the punishing pace of the interface, is incomprehensible to Starscream.

It doesn't take long for Skywarp to overload from the harsh interface and while he screams and trashes beneath Thundercracker, the dominant withdraws from the valve, the spike still erect and rigid, dripping with lubricants as well as streaks of Skywarps energon.

When Thundercracker moves away from the trembling Skywarp, Starscream follows his every move from where he is kneeling, aware that his time is up and that his punishment is coming.

Skywarp had been a clear demonstration of what is expected of a true submissive and it stings when he realizes the meaning behind the show.

'Obey me and I will protect you from hurt, disobey and feel my wrath.'

Even if the interface had been rough, Skywarp hadn't been in any true pain. He had clearly been prepared for the interface if the lubricants on Thundercracker's spike are anything to gauge from.

As he walks, Thundercracker languidly strokes his spike, something that puzzles Starscream. It is something he hasn't seen the dominant do before. Then he realizes what Thundercracker is doing and dread settles in his tank, making it twist and turn in terror.

Swiping the last traces of Skywarps lubricants of off his spike, Thundercracker stares with cold optics down at Starscream, and the tricolored seeker can feel the dominant's satisfaction at the terror flowing in their bond.

Then he kneels down behind Starscream and hoists the submissive's aft in the air just as he did with Skywarp and silently waits for Starscream to retract his valve cover before he in a fluid move penetrates the dry and unaroused valve.

Starscream is unable to hold back the glass shattering scream escaping his vocalizer and the scream instantly rewards him punishment in the form of claws raking his wings. He is unable to keep silent and soon the surface of his wings shows deeper and deeper gouges as the surface caves in under the continued onslaught from Thundercracker's claws.

Pain in his valve, pain in his wings, but the emotional pain is the worst. The fact that he has earned himself this, that he can stop the further punishment if he can just shut his vocalizer, but the dry penetration makes that impossible.

One thrust is so vicious that he can feel the valve lining tear and the sudden flow of energon. It eases the slide of the spike, but burns like acid in the wounds.

When Thundercracker overloads, Starscreams optics fritzes to white for several long astroseconds at the feeling of the scalding hot transfluids connecting with his raw and torn valve, but then it is over, the spike retracts leaving the submissive alone with a painful charge and hurting sensor nodes.

/Starscream?/ he vaguely hears Skywarps voice, not sure if his audios are malfunctioning or if it truly is Skywarp speaking to him in a careful soothing voice. Is he even allowed such comfort right now?

The servos gently touching him, as if afraid to cause him further pain, definitely are real and with a tremble taking over his whole frame he collapses to his side, unable to uncurl from the painful kneeling position. He just stays there, helm on servos, wings shivering and dripping with energon, legs unwilling to obey him against agonizing pain when he tries to stretch them.

/Sk-sky?/ he stutters, his vocalizer failing in pronouncing Skywarps full designation as painful convulsions wreaks havoc in his frame.

/Don't speak Starscream. Rest, let your self-repair handle the damages. It is over. You did well. Just rest./ Skywarp sooths, servos touching gently to the shivering wings and Starscream can feel the other apply something soothing to them.

It is so good to have the Skywarp he knows back, but he can't stop worrying that it isn't over.

/Thun-der…/ he tries to speak. His optics is offline and he can't seem to bring them online thought all the pain in his frame. Yet, he needs to know where Thundercracker is now. If he is coming back to deal out more. He begins to tremble at the prospect.

/Up there keeping watch over us./ Skywarp softly explains, intoning that up there means high in the air circling the clearing to keep anyone who might want to interfere away, while Skywarp tends to Starscream.

/S-sorry. S-so s-sorry. D-didn't me-mean t-to d-disob-bey./ Starscream stammers in apology.

/You knew what he would do. And your disappearance is all made worse due to the fact that he had to leave our people to get you back Starscream. He had to leave our people again so shortly after he finally has regained the full trust and control. That is mainly why he is so angry. But you scared him as well, scared the both of us. Being scared is a weakness for him and he covers it with anger and fury. He isn't as mad at you as it seems, just unable to deal with his fearful feelings./ Skywarp explains, his voice hardening slightly as he keeps working on sealing the damages on Starscreams wings.

/Didn't mean to… Didn't think…about that./ the tricolored submissive solemnly confesses, realizing that what he has done possibly could tear their people apart once again, and this time Thundercracker might not be able to regain the trust.

This time he might die under the challenges being issued against him.

_/I need your obedience, Starscream./ Thundercracker murmurs. /I am your protector, the one to shield you in disputes, to fight for you. But I demand obedience in turn for my support. As long as you obey, no one is going to hurt you while my spark still pulses, but if you disobey I have to punish you accordingly, or I will be seen as weak and challenged by other dominants. We aren't grounders, Starscream. We are seekers, and I understand that our society is different from how you have been raised. But I need you to support me among our kin for me to remain strong in power. Do you understand?/_

Thundercracker's explanation when he first disobeyed resurfaces and he feels incredibly guilty at having gone against his dominant and Winglord. Thundercracker was and is still right, Skywarp is right.

He has weakened his dominant, his Winglord.

::I'm sorry.:: he pushes through the bond to Thundercracker, filling the words with all his guilty emotions. He doesn't ask for forgiveness, he doesn't feel like he deserves it. All he hopes to achieve is to get Thundercracker to understand what made him disobey and not seek consent before leaving.

::As long as you NEVER do something like this again, we won't speak about it. No one on Cybertron, except Swiftstrike, knows, and I have given him control until I return. Now will you please tell me WHY you needed to leave in the first place?!:: Thundercracker responds, still strict, but there is none of the previously violent emotions.

Finally most of the acute pain in his frame is soothed and he is able to online his optics.

Craning his neck he stares up into the sky and with a sigh watches Thundercracker patrol the clearing in calm circles. There is nothing more beautiful than the deadly sight of his dominant in his sparked element.

Earth's sky just compliments the blue seeker even more and as he stares, clouds drifts by, now and then covering Thundercracker in their misty substance before the Winglord emerges once again from their loving embrace.

::I have had nightmares.:: He confess with a sigh, recalling the last one that drew him into action. ::Turns out they weren't just nightmares.:: he adds with sadness, the image of Ratchet in the medbay standing stark in his processor.

/I need access to your valve./ Skywarp urgently breaks into their conversation and Thundercracker remains silent.

One glance down his frame has Starscream almost purging. There is so much energon splashed all over his frame and pooling beneath him. At the sight he runs an internal scan of his energy levels and balks at the sight of the blaring red 50%. He needs to feed soon and preferably before he needs to feed his seekerling.

Face contorted in pain, he tries to straighten his cramped legs to let Skywarp have access to him, but the sheer pain at the move almost seizes him.

/I…can't. Sky, you need to do it for me, just do it, fast./ he pants, optics almost whiting out at the intensity, it doesn't help that his movements causes the lingering transfluids to seep into the wounds in his valve and adds to the painful sensations.

A jerk followed by another and he is screaming his vocalizer raw as his frame goes rigid in pain. When his whitening optics finally is able to see again he looks up in caring yellow optics as Thundercracker hugs him in comfort while he feels Skywarp begin to work at his valve.

He doesn't know when Thundercracker landed, and he honestly doesn't care.

/I don't like to cause you pain, I hope you understand that Starscream./ the dominant murmurs soothingly.

Starscream nods weakly before he snuggles his face into Thundercracker's warm plating, seeking comfort in the presence of the dominant. Thundercracker is a fearsome sight when enraged, but oh so loving and caring when he has calmed.

Still, this experience is going to follow Starscream the rest of his life, which of course is the whole intention behind the punishment, to prevent the submissive from disobeying on a whim.

He feels Thundercracker's claws on his cockpit a moment later and turns his helm to look at the dominant again. When he nods in permission he feels the blue seeker gently open it to withdraw the seekerling.

The little thing eagerly pounces on the reaching claws and chirps happily at its Sire, not at all affected by the horrors its carrier has been put through.

It begins to eagerly nibble at one of the menacing claws and when Starscream moves to sit up so he can offer a feeding line, Thundercracker gently forces him down.

/I will feed it this time. You need to recover your strength./ The Winglord explains softly while tugging Starscream closer into a more relaxed position in his lap. Like this Starscream is able to watch his little one feed and relax his sore and hurting frame.

After a while, with Skywarp humming contently as he applies nanites to the inner walls of his valve, Starscream needs to ask the question that pesters him.

/What do we do now?/ his voice shows none of his crushed hope at the fact that he probably won't be returning to the autobots and Ratchet's side. He holds no illusion that Thundercracker is going to order them back to Cybertron.

Thundercracker is silent for a while, his optics distant and he hums in concert to Skywarp, the drain on his systems lulling him into a docile state.

Earth is peace where Cybertron has been constant fighting to regain trust.

This is the first real moment where he is able to connect with his newest creation and even if it all springs from Starscream disobeying, the calm and peace surrounding him for once is…nice.

No one is challenging him. No one is demanding his presence. There is just the three – four – of them. He smiles down at the seekerling, spark swelling at the trust so willingly offered to him and he pours his deep affections into the bond with the little thing.

/Thundercracker?/ Starscreams voice draws him out of the happy moment and with a sigh he leans back, laying on the ground and drags Starscream with him, much to Skywarps protests.

/I want to see what drew you to do all this. It must have been some horrible nightmares to cause you to disobey me like this. I want to know the reason./ He answers, staring up at the blue sky and the drifting clouds. He, after all, has a whole solar cycle before Crossfire is going to show up and Swiftstrike is capable enough to lead their people for this short a time.

Stretching his wings languidly along the ground, he releases a content purr and rises slightly to drag a wildly protesting Skywarp down to lay beside them.

Like that, the largest predators Earth has ever given peaceful shelter enters a fitful recharge, the troubles of the world at the moment none of their concern, a small seekerling resting contently in the palm of its fearsome Sire.


	5. Chapter 5

"Have we heard or seen anything to Starscream?" Optimus asks the crew as they are gathered in the command center. It has been hours since Starscream left and they have been unable to detect anything from either him or Thundercracker.

The fact that Thundercracker is on the planet while they are unable to locate the Winglord is troubling, but what truly worries them is the fact that they don't know how many seekers they are dealing with.

Is Earth being invaded, or is it just a small visit?

How is it going to affect the humans?

They have already contacted all the countries to warn them about the presence of the seekers and at the moment all global-wide flight traffic has been suspended. They don't want to risk anyone in case the seekers mean deadly business.

The UN is gathered through video conference, the restriction all over the planet preventing them from meeting physically, and the infighting between The United States of America and Russia is at the moment forgotten as the political leaders in unity waits for news from the Autobots.

"Nothing." Hound sighs, his own worry easily rivaling that of the others. Ratchet is still his main concern, but the prospect of reuniting with Starscream, if just briefly, and apologize has sparked some hope in his spark to finally be able to regain his position in the seeker's life.

"We haven't been able to triangulate the direction he flew when he left, or locate Thundercracker." he adds further, shaking his helm. "The humans have offered help in the form of their planet wide grid of satellites, but the surveillance hasn't showed anything yet."

"Teletran 1 hasn't detected anything either, and the spacebridge has remained silent. He is still here on Earth, doing whatever he came here for. We are monitoring it to see if he should show up, but unless he wants to be found, I don't think we will find him." Perceptor chimes in, looking up from where he is monitoring Teletran.

"That raises another question." Prowl speaks up, looking around at the gathered mechs with a stern expression. "While the spike lasted for such a short time that I don't believe that we are dealing with that many seekers, the portal is still passively active. There could come more. Shall we shut it down or let it remain active with the prospect of a true invasion of seekers happening?" the tactician asks.

"You mean to decidedly trap an enemy as dangerous as Thundercracker far away from his people? Are you insane?! He is going to tear us all apart in a murderous rampart." Sideswipe yells in panic. Beside him Sunstreaker just glares at the tactician.

The massacre less than a year ago still stands starkly in their awareness's and they all shudder collectively at the remembered sight of the decepticons being killed so ruthlessly.

"You are right Sideswipe; we shouldn't do that, even if its continued activation threatens the humans and Earth. Thundercracker alone is enough to lay waste to a large part of the planet if he feels like it. We don't know if he is alone, but we can at least be sure that Skywarp is with him. He doesn't part with his mates for long, which, I guess, is why Starscream apologized to me before he left." Firstaid speaks up.

"So we are at best 'only' dealing with Thundercracker's trine, at worst a whole armada." Ironhide grouses, not liking either prospect.

Firstaid is right, Thundercracker alone is fearsome to deal with if it comes to battle, and impossible to down, add in Skywarp and they won't even be able to hit the Winglord with any of their heavier artillery. The prospect of meeting Starscream in battle… He doesn't even want to go there.

It will crush all their sparks to engage Starscream in battle.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"A report from the humans' NORAD, Prime" Perceptor speaks up as he moves the incoming information onto the large view screen.

On screen they watch as the three seekers flies in their traditional formation and the observational information from the humans shows their flight path across the state, heading towards the Mount St. Helens.

"ETA?" Optimus asks.

"4.7 breems. Ten minutes." Perceptor answers, looking up from the console.

"So, what do we do?" Sideswipe nervously asks. Only ten more minutes to live in?

"I…don't know." Optimus looks around at his crew, for once not having a solution. As long as they don't know why Thundercracker is coming they can't do anything. And if it turns out to be a fight there is little any of them can do to prepare for it.

"I say we go out there to face them helm on." Ironhide growls, his cannons whirring ominously. Even if they don't stand a chance he very much prefers to die in a blazing fight than while hiding underground, just waiting for it to happen.

"I…actually agree with Ironhide." Firstaid hesitantly supports the suggestion, and seeing their incredulous stares on him, he hurries to explain, "They don't like being underground. Thundercracker can barely move through the corridors of our base. It is going to push them further if they need to seek us out down here. If we meet them out in the open…they might be a lot calmer, and it might not even turn to fighting."

As the only one among them, beyond Ratchet, who peacefully has dealt with the seekers more frequently than the rest of the autobots, they can't disregard the medic's calm ascertaining of the situation.

"ETA 3 breems, Prime." Perceptor speaks up, informing them of the remaining time before Thundercracker arrives, and that seems to set the rest of them in motion.

"Very well. Everyone move out." The Autobot leader orders, watching his troops move out of the room and to the surface.

"Prime?" Optimus turns at the sound of his name, looking at Firstaid. "I just wanted to remind you that Thundercracker no longer is controlled by Megatron. He is free of what drew him to fight against us. He might still be fearsome and ruthless, but the seekers are basically just primitive, but highly sentient beings. He isn't truly our enemy anymore. Don't worry."

With that the medic leaves the command center to go back to the medbay and Ratchet. Someone needs to stay behind to watch over the base. Perceptor is going to stay behind as well to keep monitoring Teletran 1 and the communication with the humans.

"ETA 2 breems." Perceptor's voice sounds through the spaceship as an ominous warning.

Optimus emerges from the crack just as Thundercracker enters their vision far away in the distance. They can already hear the distinct rumbling of the Winglords engines as the seekers flies closer and closer. The troops' nervousness at the sight is palpable in the air.

When they watch as Thundercracker leads his trine on a deviating course to circle the volcano, Optimus' comline activates.

"Prime, we have Decepticon activity." Perceptor speaks up.

"Where?" He asks while his full attention is on the three seekers and their leisure flight behavior. The relaxedness the seekers exude is a good sign and he dares hope that this isn't going to turn violent.

"Some nuclear facility in Oregon." Perceptor answers urgently.

"Well, Thundercracker is here, we can cancel the flight restrictions. Have the humans provide us with transport. I'm heading down when I have talked to Starscream and Thundercracker." The Prime answers, closing his comline.

When Thundercracker lands, Skywarp and Starscream flanking him, Optimus steps forward and regards the Winglord in what he hopes is a relaxed stance.

"Thundercracker." He speaks up and his greeting is instantly followed by a distinct chirrup from Starscream, clearly translating and making up for the Autobot leader's blunder at greeting Thundercracker by his designation.

/Winglord./

A grunted gust of air is his only response as the massive blue seeker looks at him, gauges him, before the scrutinizing yellow optics moves to look at the troops behind the Autobot leader.

It has been less than a year; still the sheer size of the seeker rattles them. Out of optic, out of mind, the statement clearly suffices at the imposing sight of the Winglord looking down at them with disdain in the eerily intelligent optics.

There is a hunger in them as well, and not a few of them shies away at the intensity of the threat they can feel hanging ominously over their helms. They are no more than prey in the Winglord's optics.

The silence is broken by a litany of lyrical intonations from Thundercracker, and Starscream shuffles beside the blue seeker, he bows his helm and his wings droops slightly in clear submission. Then he takes a step forward and takes a deep breath.

"Thundercracker has given me permission to…reside here until Ratchet's situation has been sorted. If you provide us with fuel no one is going to be hurt while we stay here. Beyond that, I can't guarantee anything." Starscream explains, clearly subdued from whatever Thundercracker had said.

"It is good to see that you are well and okay." Optimus greets, delicately ignoring the small threat in Starscreams vocalization. He knows that the 'hurt' reference truly means killed. Seekers don't do anything else against what they consider prey, unless they really feel like playing around with their food.

With a small smile Starscream folds his wings flush against his frame before he bows his helm and with the servo placed on his chestplate gestures for Optimus to mirror him. As Optimus complies he is aware that he makes himself incredibly vulnerable in front of the Winglord when his optics leaves the dominant to, for just a short moment look at the ground as he completes the bow.

The next klik Thundercracker has somersaulted and is transforming in the air. They all watch as Skywarp mirrors him and the pair flies to the top of the mountain where they settle down. Perched on the highest precipice, Thundercracker overlooks them and his youngest mate.

None of the grounders are aware of the trust the Winglord shows them in that very moment, taking the distantly observing dominant as a threat and not the acceptance it truly is.

"I think he likes you." Starscream adds offhandedly to the Autobot leader as he looks up at the mountain, smiling at the hiss from Thundercracker through the bond.

"If that is liking, I don't want to see him when he is in a truly foul mood." Sideswipe comments, gazing up at the visual of the Winglord perched like an angel of death as he watches them.

Starscream just laughs, easily hiding the small wince at the feeling of the soreness that remains in his frame.

"We are heading out, but I will lead you down to Ratchet." Optimus cuts in, and like that Thundercracker is for a moment forgotten.

"What is going on?" Starscream asks, sensing the change in the mechs around him.

His new awareness and instincts informs him about the minute changes in their frames, the increase of spark pulses, the flow of the energon to the battle centered systems. Weapons might be offline, but the small cycle of energy ready to be unleashed is easily detectable to the tricolored seeker.

It reminds him of Thundercracker when the Winglord fights against challengers. Those subtle changes he now is attuned to sense.

"Don't worry Starscream. Now, we need to go soon, the humans will have aircrafts waiting for us at the nearest airport. We can't delay. I will explain it all to you later. Let me lead you to Ratchet before we leave." Optimus explains urgently and Starscream willingly lets himself be lead away from the gathered troops.

When the procession of Autobots moments later moves out, Sideswipe looks wistfully up at the top of the volcano.

"It is so unfair." He solemnly comments to Sunstreaker beside him.

"What?!" his twin growls, following his sight and sees Thundercracker still perched at the top of the volcano.

"The Decepticons have had them on their side. Why can't we for once have the good grace of the seekers?" The red twin petulantly complains.

"You are an idiot Sideswipe." Sunstreaker growls, cuffing his twin up the helm, "He did make short process of Megatron, and you KNOW that they weren't on the Decepticons' side, they were enslaved! Seekers don't have ANY good grace towards us."

"Still." Sideswipe sniffs, swiping at his twin in retaliation.

"Just forget it!" Sunstreaker growls before he transforms and speeds away from his twin before the red frontliner is able to retort. That leaves behind a pouting Sideswipe who casts a last wistful glance up at the Winglord before following, dust spewing from his acceleration to intercept his twin.

Thundercracker watches the procession of grounders curiously. His prodding at Starscream to know what is going on unsuccessful.

Canting his helm, studying the convoy with interest he takes a decision.

/Keep watch over Starscream./ He orders Skywarp before he takes to the sky and follows the grounders at a distance.

/Don't do anything stupid Thundercracker. Starscream is going to strip your plating if you hurt any of them./ Skywarp yells at the disappearing dominant, but nevertheless settles down to rearrange the top of the volcano into something reminiscing a resting area, while keeping watch over Starscream.

The Autobots are blessedly unaware of their stealthy escort as they arrive at the small airport and board the ready Hercules airplanes. When the heavy planes taxies down the tarmac and slowly gains speed Thundercracker watches on with growing curiosity.

The moment the planes leave the tarmac the Winglords roar of rage is deafened by the thunderous sounds of the heavy duty engines of the planes.

The moment all the planes are in the air, radar shows the approaching unidentified aircraft approaching in high speed and the vocalizations from the humans in the control tower as well as the pilots flying the planes alerts the Autobots to the unknown presence.

The moment Sideswipe transforms inside the plane to look out the hatch in the tail end of the plane carrying him he sees the Winglords blue tetrajet in hot pursuit of them, and he laughs in exhilaration.

"Holy Primus. It is Thundercracker!" he announces eagerly to the rest of his comrades onboard.

"Sideswipe, get back. Get away from there. Don't taunt him!" Optimus orders sternly.

The next moment Sideswipe is firmly silenced when the Winglord unleashes a volley of laser fire. The deadly beams narrowly miss the plane and Optimus knows that Thundercracker isn't truly aiming to down them, or they would have been a burning husk on the surface of the planet now.

"What the pit?"

Sideswipes solemn utterance, filled with hurt and broken hope forces a growl from Sunstreaker where he remains in altmode. "You are an idiot Sides. I TOLD you, there is no good grace towards us. Now, get the frag back here and transform. If he hits us you need all the protection you can get."

The four other planes get the same greeting, and they can only listen to the humans as Thundercracker circles the formation of transport planes while they travel. So far no damage has been caused, but the humans are clearly panicking as the Winglord plays with them.

There is no other description entering Optimus' processor at the seeker's strange way of acting.

"Why isn't he downing us?" Sideswipe asks from where he now is in altmode beside his twin, finally subdued at the constant fear of an attack that is going to send them hurtling towards the surface of the planet far down below. Granted, he has his jetpack and Sunstreaker has his parachute, but all their other comrades don't have such emergency measures to save them from the devastating fall, should it happen.

"He is dominating us." Optimus answers when he realizes what the Winglord is doing. There is no true hostile intent, just a show of power while they are in the seeker's territory high in the air. With that realization in mind he visibly relaxes.

"Seekers are wicked." The red twin utters in response and Sunstreaker swats him with a door.

"You were fawning all over him only moments before Sides."

"That was before he turned this insane." He retorts, reciprocating the swat with force.

"This is how they ARE Sides. And if you haven't noticed, Star has changed as well. He is going to become just like Thundercracker with time. He definitely won't be our big innocent friend anymore." The yellow twin grouses.

"Fragging seekers." Sideswipe mutters, and turns to complete silence the rest of the travel, only cursing now and then when Thundercracker's antics forces the pilots to veer to avoid the continued 'playful' attacks.

Thundercracker finally leaves them alone when the planes enters preparation to land and the rest of the trip down to the surface of the planet is done controlled and without much panic. However, Optimus is sure that the humans are going to be averse to offer them any air transport as long as the Winglord remains planet side.

He isn't sure he wants a repeat of the experience either.

"What the frag was that about?" Hound loudly demands to know when he emerges from his plane, visibly shaking.

"The Winglord ascertaining his dominance over us." The Prime waves off the other vocalizations from his troops. They need to focus. There is a fight waiting for them a few dozen miles from their current location.

"Where is he now? Did he just disappear?" they all look up in the air, but there is nothing but the calmly drifting clouds. No sound of the specific rumbling engines.

The Winglord is gone, obviously done with pestering them.

* * *

A playful Winglord? My oh My, the world is coming to an end. Thundercracker is clearly enjoying his short vacation. And Thundercracker isnt done with them yet, just a small hint to the next chappie.:P


	6. Chapter 6

**Warnings: Death, Gore. Simply put sheer bloody violence.**

* * *

Hovering high in the air, between the higher Mesosphere and the lower Thermosphere, Thundercracker relaxes lazily, drifting in the lighter gravitation keeping him stationary the higher he gets in the planet's atmosphere.

/Skywarp would love this./ He murmurs to himself with a smile, optics almost dulled to nothing in contentment as he allows the lulling feeling of weightlessness and the gentle pull from the planet to ease his anger at the sight of the grounders taking to HIS element, invading HIS territory.

His mindless thoughts are disrupted by an enormous bellowing roar that grows in volume and he onlines his optics to look around.

A glance down at the planet has him jerking in surprise at the sight of an immensely large burning cloud drifting up against him from the surface. It is almost as if it is trying to swallow him, but he is way too far up and the cloud dissipates slowly, however the sheer power from the nuclear explosion is rattling, if only slightly, even this high up in the atmosphere.

/Sky Above./ He murmurs, flickering his wings in slight distress at the power of the explosion he can sense through the sensitive appendages while he watches the cloud spread wider as it travels in height, covering more and more ground.

::What is going on?:: Skywarp asks, sensing the shock through the bond. Thundercracker can sense Starscream gently prodding him as well, but it is clear that it is just out of courtesy to know if he is okay, the tricolored seeker's mind is still completely occupied with worry for his creator.

::I don't know. But I'm going to find out.:: With that he seals the bond firmly shut, transforms and shoots down towards the surface in high speed.

When he is only a few miles above the surface, he evens his trajectory and overflies the devastated area and the several hundred grounders in close combat.

The nuclear explosion has hardly done any damage to them, only to the area surrounding the nuclear facility. Shrill klaxons blares warnings about the release of nuclear matter, but the Autobots are too occupied with the Decepticons to try and counter the dangerous spill.

It is a fight for their lives, and in all the chaos no one notices the arrival of the Winglord.

Injured and dying are littering the ground, mostly Decepticons, but a few Autobots has fallen to their enemies vicious attack as well.

Thundercracker grunts at the smell of the flowing energon in the billowing heat from the explosion and his optics keenly scans the area and every grounder on it.

Prey.

So much prey.

But before his hunting instinct completely takes over and drowns out any further rational thought a loud furious roar of rage reverberates and draws his attention towards the center of the battleground.

The roar draws Optimus' attention as well, and the Autobot leader easily incapacitates his current adversary before he looks around to locate the origin.

The Autobot leader soon locates the source and his spark constricts in pain at the sight of Sunstreaker clutching a heavily damaged Sideswipe to his frame while he tries to defend them both from the Decepticon that has hurt his twin so.

The yellow twin is visibly trembling, clearly in pain, but still valiantly fighting on.

The incoming cleaving strike from the large Decepticon, which should have split his helm in two doesn't land and the weight of his adversary is lifted from his and his twin's frames. Through the energon dripping into his optics Sunstreaker watches the peculiar sight of the Decepticon being torn into so many pieces and all the fighting around them ceases as they all stares at the newcomer.

Thundercracker just looks disdainful down at the mangled parts of the grounder. Then he lets out a bellowing roar with the full length of his fangs on display, his lips quivering and even showing the rows of sturdier dentas. The horrendous roar reverberates all over the area and firmly silences the last of the skirmish between the two factions.

The following silence is only disturbed by the continued gurgling sounds from the deep hole in Sideswipes midsection when the red frontliner tries to breathe in air.

Sunstreaker warily looks up at the Winglord still hovering above him and his twin. He doesn't know what to think.

Is the Winglord there as an angel of death, or a guardian angel?

Thundercracker stares down at the yellow grounder with a condescending look in his optics and in reflex Sunstreaker hugs Sideswipe a bit closer. He can feel the rare tears threatening to fall from his optics as a surge of fear takes hold in his spark.

Not Sides.

Not his brother.

No.

::Sun-…:: Sideswipe coughs and energon flows from his lips in increasing streams.

::Don't call me that.:: Old habits die hard, and Sunstreaker knows he never has been the best to sooth.

::H-he came. He is here. Is that really him?:: Sideswipe jerks in pain when he tries to turn his helm and look up at the towering seeker standing over them. Like this, it almost looks like the Winglord is hovering as a guardian angel, protecting them.

But Sunstreaker knows it is an illusion.

It has to be.

::Yeah Sides, it is him. You were right, he is on our side.:: The words stings as he lulls his brother into false security. He lowers his helm gently to Sideswipes and pecks a kiss to it before he with defiant optics stares directly up into Thundercracker's, the watery glare in them a clear challenge.

When Sideswipe loses consciousness, Sunstreaker has no chance to react before the seeker has ripped his brother out of his embrace and has taken to the sky, leaving with its claimed prey.

The bellow following the disappearing seeker is full of despair and rage.

The only comfort in all the physical and emotional pain is that he is going to join Sideswipe the instant his twin dies. They won't be separated for long. With that thought in mind Sunstreaker curls into a ball and just waits for deaths embrace.

"Oh, Sunstreaker." Optimus kneels beside the yellow frontliner and gently caresses an arm. "Maybe it is for the best. I don't think we could have saved him. Firstaid is good, but a damage as severe as Sideswipe's is going to kill him long before we are able to reach the base." The Autobot leader tries to sooth.

"You mean this is mercy from Thundercracker?" Sunstreaker sobs, turning his helm to regard his leader.

"I don't know. All we know about him is what Starscream has told, and what little we all have gleaned from our short interactions." Optimus replies, the pain in his optics growing at the sight of his fearless frontliner coming undone like this. At the prospect of losing the twins like this.

They have lost several comrades to untreatable injuries over the last weeks ever since Ratchet was incapacitated. Firstaid does his best, but the younger medic doesn't have as much knowledge as their CMO, yet he keeps fighting to save them all when they are under his care. But, some injuries are simply just too great.

Minutes pass and they all wait for the inevitable.

Then Optimus is hailed by the Ark.

"Prime, what the frag are you doing out there? Starscream is in an all-out panic inside the medbay yelling about preparations and Skywarp has just teleported in. What the frag is going on?!" Firstaid demands to know, yelling above the clear noise in his background.

Optimus looks up, optics widening as he looks around at his gathered troops. The Decepticons are long gone; scared away by the presence of the Winglord, the enemy they thought they had managed to flee when coming to Earth.

When he looks down at Sunstreaker again, his spark feels light, hopeful even, and he smiles soothingly.

"Firstaid just contacted me Sunstreaker. Starscream is causing a mess back at base because…it seems Thundercracker is returning to them with Sideswipe. He is going to have a fair chance at survival with how fast Thundercracker is in the air." The Autobot leader explains in a soft voice.

Sideswipe isn't miraculously saved, he is still dying and the damage is grievous. It is yet to be seen if Firstaid can do anything for him, but at least the medic is going to get the chance.

"H-he really is saving him?" Sunstreaker's incredulous stutter is summing up the unbelievability of what is going on perfectly.

"He is giving him a chance." Optimus corrects, not wanting to give Sunstreaker too much hope in case it is crushed later.

"But why? He eats us; he-he hates us… Why is he doing this? Why is he saving Sides?" Sunstreaker is unable to keep the questions rising in his mind unvoiced.

"That is something you will have to ask him when we have returned to base." Optimus gently answers, rising and ascertaining the destruction around them.

"Prime, are you still there?" Firstaid demands to know, clearly torqued off at the Autobot leader for not responding.

"Yes Firstaid, I'm here. We are just finishing here, and then we will return as fast as possible. Keep me updated on how everything fares back at base." When the medic acknowledges, the Prime closes the com and turns to his troops.

Soon everyone is busy trying to counter the dangerous radioactive spill. There isn't much they can do about the damage already caused, but they can prevent it from escalating further. At least there are no humans in the nearest area, most of them evacuated when the Decepticons showed up.

It angers Optimus that Soundwave chooses locations like these for their battles. The telepath clearly doesn't care the least about the organic inhabitants on the planet, and it speak volume about what will happen if the Decepticons succeed in wiping out the Autobots.

Humanity faces extinction together with the Autobots. None of them can afford to lose.

Sunstreaker just sits a small distance away as the clean-up begins, desperately clinging to the unresponsive bond with his twin while valiantly trying to put up his usual façade of indifference.

It doesn't quite succeed and lone tears trail down his cheeks.

When they leave the battle field, Sunstreaker is tugged safely inside Optimus' trailer on their way to the airport and the waiting planes. The trip in the air is done in silence; Sideswipe's missing presence hanging heavily on them all.

* * *

Why is he doing this?

Thundercracker looks down at the shivering frame in his arms as he flies faster and faster, breaking his own limits and securely tightens his hold on the red frame as the wind beats mercilessly against them.

If he had been in alt-mode the wind wouldn't pester him this much, but in root-mode he doesn't have the aerodynamics on his side and it taxes on him, cools his plating and internals rapidly and the boost to his thruster only does little to increase his dwindling core temperature.

What mustn't it do to the damaged grounder in his arms?

He shakes his helm in incredulity.

Why does he care about a grounder?

Why IS he doing this?

::Thundercracker, what is going on?:: Skywarp breaks into their bond, and Thundercracker realizes that his grip on the sealed bond must have weakened with his mind distracted.

::Thundercracker?:: Starscream's small voice instantly sets his thoughts straight and with a last glance down at the grounder, now jerking in the first real death cramps, he increases the flow of energon to his thrusters and grits his dentas, baring his fangs at the painful slashing powers of the sky as he adds more speed to his flight.

He sends a mental image of the hurt grounder to both his mates and senses Starscreams panic.

::SIDESWIPE!:: The scream of the designation tells Thundercracker everything he needs to know about the connection his youngest mate has with this grounder, and even if he doesn't care about the grounder himself, he steels himself against the merciless winds and suffers through the onslaughts of pain flowing from his wings.

::Don't worry Thunder, I'm going down to him. Just…get here safely, please?:: 'Don't risk yourself for a grounder' is underlying Skywarps wording and the Winglord sends a mental nod to Skywarp before he refocuses all his attention on his flight.

He senses it when the grounder wakes for a short moment. Glancing down into the blue optics he puzzles at the weak smile forming on the deathly grey lips. He feels the movement of a servo and shocked watches the grounder rub against his chestplates and the warmth centered behind them.

"Home." Sideswipe whispers, before he falls unconscious again, the smile of pure serenity lingering on his lips.

Not understanding the word, the Winglord just shrugs and keeps flying, defying all physics on the planet when he lands in front of Mount. St. Helens only a few dozen minutes after he took off from the battle field.

Skywarp pops into existence the instant he touches down on the ground, grabbing hold on him and with a pop they are gone, rematerializing underground.

/Thundercracker! Sideswipe!/ Starscream is onto him instantly, almost tackling him to the floor and before the Winglord is aware of it, the grounder is out of his arms and on a metal slab, the grounder healer already plugging things into the red frame.

With shivering wings he finally collapses, reserves almost completely spent. The intense cooling of his frame taxes extremely on his energy when his internals fights to have a habitual core temperature.

/Skywarp, bring him one of the cubes I have prepared over there. You will have to feed him, just tip it gently, and avoid hitting the fangs. Yes, just like that. Keep going until he doesn't shiver anymore. Here, can you by the way take him, I need to help Firstaid where I can./ Starscream blabbers, pointing to the stash of cubes he has prepared, watches as Skywarp does as he explains and then hands his little one to the other submissive before he returns to Firstaid to do whatever he can to support the medic.

Firstaid shoots them a glance when Starscream opens his cockpit and digs out his wriggling creation, but doesn't speak up. His curiosity can wait for later, Sideswipe doesn't have time for him to stand idle.

Skywarp safely tugs the seekerling inside his cockpit before he returns his attention to his dominant. Thundercracker is staring up at him with bright optics and a stiff smile.

/Sky…/ He speaks, delirium distorting his vocalization slightly. Then the optics offline and he enters recharge.

The black and purple seeker drapes himself over his recharging mate, covering the Winglord in a blanket of warmth and cycles an abundance of energy through his whole frame, heating himself up to give comfort to the still slightly shivering blue frame.

/So strong. So perfect. All ours./ Skywarp whispers affectionately to Thundercracker as he silently keeps watch over the Winglord.

::All ours.:: Starscream confirms from where he is assisting Firstaid and when Skywarp lifts his helm to look at the tricolored seeker, Starscreams optics is full of deep emotions directed towards their dominant.

All theirs.

* * *

The Sky Above hovers above the recharging Winglord, the black optics regarding the resting seeker. He kneels and touches the cold plating, sending warmth into the core of the seeker, speeding up the recovery.

/Well done Thundercracker. It is soon time. Just keep walking the path destined for you./ The god murmurs before he rises again.

Then he looks to Starscream and the work being done on Sideswipe.

He can see the celestial form of the ground vehicle former slowly begin to materialize on the ethereal plane and he steps forward hurriedly.

/Not yet little one./ he reassures the being when he takes hold on it and feels how it begins to panic. For a moment the substance almost materializes completely, only to begin to dissipate again.

/There, back into your frame. It isn't your time yet, you are too important to my plan to die now./ The Sky Above smiles when the spark pulse in the red frame begins to slightly grow in strength.

/Now, to make sure you stay there./ The god ponders with a smile as he studies Starscream and momentarily graces the seeker's mind.

Implanting the idea in the seeker to use his own superior healing abilities in the form of the nanites on the grievous wound the god settles to watch the proceedings.

* * *

Thundercracker keeps surprising:) Hadn't planned for him to turn heroic, but i guess he wanted to be a savior rather than an executioner. The good thing is that his wish doesnt mess that much with my initial plan. So, we get to have some more twin goodness. I definitely look forward to Sunstreaker confronting the Winglord with his questions. But until that happens, i hope you all like how this proceed.


	7. Chapter 7

They are losing him.

Firstaid just stares at the horrendous wound taking up Sideswipe's whole midsection. It is a miracle the frontliner hadn't been torn completely in two by the weapon creating such damage.

Any energon they try to supply the frame with is almost instantly lost to the seeping lines in the wound and anything he tries to do to prevent any further loss of fluids just ruptures even more in the wound. Sealing one line only increases the pressure in the other weakened lines and they burst open, splashing even more energon.

This…

They are going to lose Sideswipe because he simply isn't good enough.

Starscream does his best, but the seeker isn't Ratchet, isn't designed to handle the delicate tools and not a few times the claws slips and creates new wounds in the injured frontliner.

It is just impossible for them to do anything.

The spark rate drops dangerously and Starscream screams in emotional pain at the sight, cradling the greying frame to his own, smearing Sideswipe's energon all over himself.

Firstaid just sighs in defeat.

If there is a god keeping watch over them, now would be a good time to interfere.

And miraculously the spark rate grows slightly in strength and a bit of the red color returns.

"Sides. Don't you dare do this to me." Starscream sobs, still draped all over the dying frontliner.

"Starscream, I don't think…" The medic tries to sooth, placing a reassuring servo on a trembling wing.

"NO! I'm not giving him up!" The seeker roars in sudden fury and Firstaid takes several steps back in fear.

Starscream is onto him a second later, tackling him to the floor and digs claws into him. The optics are wide and completely white, black flashing in them for just a brief moment before the maddening white is back and those long fangs just comes closer and closer.

"Starscream!" The medic panics, his spark pulses so fast that it feels like it is going to break his sparkchamber.

He franticly looks around, seeing Skywarp and Thundercracker a short distance away, but both are gone into some sort of healing state. The black and purple seeker doesn't even twitch at the growing panicking noise in the room and Thundercracker is clearly in deep recharge.

He is alone with the ramparting Starscream.

Then the next moment some otherworldly presence lifts the murderous seeker away from his frame and he stares up in the nothingness keeping the seeker in a vice.

"No. Let me go! Sides. Sideswipe!" Starscream struggles against the god, coherency returning and his optics widens as he stares at the translucent seeker suddenly materializing.

/Calm. Down. Starscream./ The Sky Above sighs. He hadn't expected Starscream to react this strongly to his sudden presence. Then again, Starscream is not a normal seeker and he should have predicted the rage rising at the touch of his essence funneling the ancient coding in full force.

As a 'god borne' Starscream is keen to react strongly to that, if only momentary, infusion of root deep coding, especially with how keyed up he is at the moment. Basically he reverted into the mindset of the seekers as they were in the earliest stages of their existence.

/SIDESWIPE!/ Starscream's scream shatters the glass in some of the cabinets and Firstaid huddles in on himself on the floor, trying to protect himself from the falling debris.

/He will be okay Starscream, if you just calm down. Follow your instincts and everything is going to be right./ The god explains, his usually gentle voice slightly strained in exasperation at the seeker trashing violently in his grip.

Starscream dumps to the floor when the god releases the grip on him the next moment, and heaving heavily he stares around confused. The Sky Above is nowhere to be seen.

Seeing Firstaid cowering on the floor with him, he instantly feels guilt.

"'Aid, I'm…I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." He pleads, scooting a bit closer, only to balk when the medic lets out a piteous whimper.

Alerts begin to blare and Starscream straightens, his wing shooting high on his back in distress.

"No!" He whimpers, clamoring to his thrusters and stares at the growing pool of energon soaking the berth beneath Sideswipe. The monitors come alive with alert after alert as the frontliner begins to slip into deaths embrace again.

_Follow your instincts._ The god's voice sounds in his processor and the calmness in it slowly eases the seeker's panicking spark.

If it had been Thundercracker or Skywarp he would have…

But Sideswipe isn't a seeker…

Will it work?

With a frown and a slight of hope in his quivering spark he begins the process of coughing up the nanites. When he has spat it onto his servo he hesitates.

The wound is so large, so deep.

Doubt begins to once again rise in his spark and his wings trembles.

_Do it._

Without further thought he splashes the nanites onto the wound before he digs his claws into it and begins to gingerly apply the nanite rich substance to every surface of it. Smoke begins to rise from the wound as he works and he don't know if the smell of burnt circuitry should be there, but at least he has something to do and his mind slowly calms further.

From the floor Firstaid stares as the seeker works.

What the…?

The smoke and smell of ruined circuitry has him rising and he carefully steps closer to not distract Starscream. He doesn't want a repeat of whatever madness had taken over the seeker before.

The flow of energon from the wound is dwindling until it stops completely and the several drops supplying the frame with energon is finally able to raise the energy levels. One after one the systems begin to stabilize.

When Starscream steps back with a sigh, Firstaid looks down at a wound still open, but no longer life threatening. It is clean from any sign of the seeping fluids and the smoke is gone, left is plating visibly creeping along the ruined circuitry, reforming, repairing and regrowing.

He stares mute up at the seeker when the outer plating begins to close off the wound, sealing it away behind the regrowth.

"How?" He asks incredulous.

"It worked." Starscream sags visibly, and then he looks to the stunned medic with a weak smile.

"How is this possible?" The medic asks, unable to believe his own optics.

"I don't know, but it worked." Starscream answers elated, misunderstanding the question. Then he looks at bit closer at Firstaid and when he sees the damage he has caused, he reaches a servo towards the medic.

"Here, let me tend to your injuries." The seeker explains as he begins to gently apply what remains of the nanites on his servos onto the puncture wounds created by his claws.

The wounds begin to sizzle, smoke drifting up and Firstaid stares at the seeker in shock when the pain from the small wounds instantly is soothed to nothing. Soon there is no sign at all on his frame to show that Starscream had attacked him.

Once again he just stares at Starscream.

No wonder the seekers are so resilient if they are all capable of this sort of healing.

The war has only revealed the enhanced internal self-repair. This superior healing ability is completely new knowledge to them.

"I'm…going to rest." Starscream adds airily. Now that Sideswipe is going to survive, all the stress that kept him standing has left his frame. Overtaxed systems desperately need to recover and his energy levels are dwindling towards red levels.

His seekerling is safe with Skywarp, but he needs to be fit enough within the next hours when it is going to demand being fed. He could let Skywarp do it, but that close connection to it during the feedings is something he has come to cherish the most.

Stumbling away from the medic, he grabs a cube from the stash before he collapses fitfully beside the pile of his mates. The energon is downed in several large gulps and soon he is resting flush against Thundercracker, his helm leaning against the dominants'. His right wing lazily drapes itself over Skywarp resting on top of the Winglord and a content purr flows from his lips as he enters recharge.

Left alone to tend to the rest of Sideswipe's damages, Firstaid cast the seeker-pile a last glance before he turns to his work.

When Sunstreaker an hour later bursts into the medbay and zeros in on his brother's prone frame, Sideswipe is looking almost as if he is just resting, the lingering damages behind the closed plating left to the seekers strange way of healing.

"Careful Sunstreaker." The medic protests when the yellow twin climbs onto the berth with his brother and curls protectively around the still healing frame.

"Let him." Optimus breaks in with a tired voice as he steps into the medbay and glances at the recharging seekers before turning his attention onto the red frontliner.

"How bad does it look Prime?" the medic asks, scanning the Prime to make sure that the energon covering the large red and blue frame isn't the mech's own. When no severe damages shows up he sags in relief.

"We got a few badly injured, but no one as severely as Sideswipe." The Autobot leader answers, and as if on cue the injured then walks in or is being carried by their less damaged comrades, the worst of them being Ironhide who had clashed with Soundwave.

The weapons specialist is missing one of his cannons, carried in his left servo, while his right arm is amputated just below the elbow joint. His left leg is amputated as well, the remaining stump bleeding energon profusely.

Orders are being yelled by the medic, creating order in the chaos of the injured. Soon almost every berth is occupied and Ratchet has been placed inside one of the antechambers to give the dying CMO a little peace.

When the worst of the commotion is over, the Autobot leader turns to the three seekers still sound in recharge, the noise from the several mechs in the room not jostling them the slightest.

"Sir, I wouldn't…" Firstaid warns too late when he sees the Prime walk closer to the seeker-pile.

Yellow optics onlines with fierce intensity at the sensed proximity of the Autobot leader, and Thundercracker lets out a warning hiss beneath Skywarp's frame pinning him. A small cycle of the engines adds to the threat with a rumble, but nothing else happens while the two leaders stare at each other.

"Thank you." The Autobot leader fills all his gratitude into the two simple words. Then he slowly and carefully backs away in respect for the Winglord, acknowledging Thundercracker's superiority by not turning his back to the massive seeker.

You don't turn your back on someone you consider a threat. He begins to understand how symbolic the seekers are, and if he did turn his back to the Winglord, he is sure Thundercracker – offended by the action – would be onto him in less than a klik.

Thundercracker just releases a grunted gust of air in reply and his optics offlines again.

"Prime, I hope you are aware of how stupid what you just did was?" Firstaid scolds from where he is sealing the ruptured lines in Ironhide's injured leg. "He might seem unaware, but never believe that about any seeker. See those minute flutters in the wings? Even now he is watching us intensely, even if his optics is offline." The medic sternly explains.

And Optimus does see them.

The small movements he had thought to be a result of the seeker's recharge are too controlled to actually be such. The small jerks this and that way, the pattern repeating endlessly only to be disrupted by the wings stiffening slightly at any movement in the room, before they enter the pattern once again, is telling.

"He is protecting his offspring, Sir. Starscream has given birth to his creation while he was back on Cybertron. I briefly saw it when he handed it to Skywarp before assisting me with Sideswipe. I don't recommend anyone getting close to any of them at the moment, unless they themselves invite it." Firstaid continues in a lighter voice, garnering the attention of most of the mechs in the room.

"What did it look like?" Optimus asks, voice delighted and he looks closer at Starscream before glancing to Skywarp. No visible cockpits. He will have to ask when the seekers rouse.

He remembers his first meeting with Starscream, but then the seeker had been a seekerlet and not a seekerling. He can't help wondering what such a young individual looks like.

"It is hard to describe. A transparent wriggling puddle of shiny gooey metal?" The medic muses. How do you explain the visible spark and translucent colorlessness to a mech who hasn't seen it before?

As if sensing what they are talking about Thundercracker onlines his optics again and with a growl pushes Skywarp down along his side, beside Starscream, before he rolls and shields both his submissives and creation protectively from sight with one of his large wings.

"At least he doesn't see us as a threat. If I'm right, he wouldn't have done that if he did, would he?" The Autobot leader asks the medic curiously.

"I think he is annoyed about the attention focused on his mates. Let's get back to work. They are going to come around whenever they feel like it." Firstaid shushes.


	8. Chapter 8

Seeker-cuteness, adorable seekerling and much more in this chapter. The plot thickens and we move towards where the fun really begins.:)

* * *

When Starscream wakes and gently pushes at the wing covering him, Thundercracker growls at him and covers the submissive again, his yellow optics flashing with open challenge.

::Mine.::

The tricolored seeker puffs himself up in a rare display of defiance and the mechs still lingering inside the medbay watches the peculiar sight of the larger dominant for once bowing to the will of the smaller submissive.

With a loving kiss to a cheek, Starscream untangles himself from the blue wing and rises on stiff thrusters. He turns to Skywarp and kneels before he gently nudges the black and purple seeker awake.

/Wha-?/ The teleporter murmurs, about to curl in on himself a bit further. A low growl, however, has him instantly awake and glancing up in Starscream's expectant optics.

The feel of the squirming seekerling in his cockpit connects the dots and he favors Starscream with a sheepish look as he reaches down to withdraw the seekerling and hand it to its carrier.

When he rises again, Thundercracker follows him, towering behind him as an open threat to the mechs as the Autobots are treated to the first sight of Starscream's little creation. The submissive doesn't seem to sense all the optics fixated on him as he nudges a feeding line between the tiny lips and leans back against his dominant, relaxing and purring softly at the feeling of his little one draining him.

Craning his neck he looks directly up at Thundercracker, and the dominant favors the mechs with a last deadly glare before he turns his attention on his mate seeking his attention.

/They can see it. They won't hurt it. They took care of me as a little one. Let them have this moment to revel in past memories./ The submissive smiles up at the Winglord, seeking understanding and acceptance. He might be the one to make the decision about whether or not to reveal his little one to the grounders, but it is always wise to seek Thundercracker's permission. It will make the Winglord less likely to overreact.

Claws reaches, and the Autobots holds their breath when the large menacing weapons gently nudges at tiny translucent wings, coaxing a little chirp from the seekerling as well as a burp when the touch causes it to wriggle while it ingests its fuel and makes the fuel clog in the intake.

A swat from Starscream and the claws leaves the seekerling alone, but he smiles at the feeling of Thundercracker visibly relaxing.

/As you wish, Starscream./ The Winglord murmurs, settling down to calmly watch his youngest creation feed.

Skywarp joins them a moment later, and he stares longingly at the seekerling. His own youngest is no longer that dependent on him and is still back on Cybertron with the trine taking care of all their younger creations.

One of Thundercracker's wings moves to embrace him and he smiles as he leans into the large blue frame.

/Soon./ Thundercracker sooths his black and purple mate, easily feeling Skywarps longing. It is hard to suddenly share the attention from his dominant with another, and even worse when the other naturally has more of the attention due to his state as a carrier to a newly born.

He loves Starscream, loves the seekerling created between Thundercracker and the other submissive, but he has gotten used to have Thundercracker's undivided attention for so long that it is hard to suddenly not be the sole center of the dominant's life anymore.

/Soon./ He confirms, spark swelling at the prospect of his heat rising within the coming lunar cycles.

/Soon./ Starscream adds in concert, resting his helm against Skywarp's shoulder.

They stay like that for a long while, the seekerling eagerly feeding and looking around at the three mature seekers, carrier, Sire and carra, then on the surroundings and the ground bound beings a short distance away.

Intelligent and curious just like Starscream was as a seekerling, it studies the strange frames intensely. When it releases the feeding line it flaps its wings in a sign of clear interest, a little purring sound escaping it.

/Want to meet them?/ Starscream smiles to the little one and his smile widens when it looks up at him, yellow optics shining bright.

/Then let's get up and meet them./ He answers, chuckling at the eagerly flaring wings as he slowly rises.

Chirrs and chirrups escape the little vocalizer as Starscream walks to the berth still occupied by Sideswipe. Sunstreaker is sitting beside it, almost desperately holding onto one of his twin's servos.

"Sunny." Starscream breathes, placing the seekerling on his shoulder before he slowly bows down to hug the yellow frontliner.

"Star. I-… Thank you f-for Sides." The frontliner stutters, his helm resting against the shoulder, and only when a small tapping is felt does he lift his gaze and stares at the seekerling who curiously touches his plating.

A happy chip follows the touch at the attention it garnered from the yellow mech and it flares the wings in an adorable display. Slowly Sunstreaker is unable to hold onto the fear and pain lingering in his spark, and a small smile cracks his saddened expression.

"It is beautiful Star. So cute." He whispers before he retreats slowly from the hug and the still reaching seekerling, careful to not cause it to topple off of its carrier.

"It looks so much like you." Another voice breaks in, and Starscream straightens to look at Hound and Firstaid.

The tracker takes a step forward, and reaches open arms towards the tricolored seeker.

"Forgive me my little Starscream. I-… The war… You should have had us both by your side. I'm sorry it turned out like this. I hope… Now that Ratchet is slowly passing away that… we can reunite?" Hound fights to find the right words, and cringes at how he stumbles over sentence after sentence.

How do you make up for a lifetime of absence?

Pain fills the yellow optics, and the seekerling, sensing the distress in its carrier trills a happy tune to sooth, only to peep sadly when it doesn't work as intended.

"Hound…" Starscream whispers, and suddenly tears flows and he is hugging his second creator fiercely. "Of course I forgive you, stupid mech! You were, are my creator. I know Ratchet became my primary caretaker, but I always waited and hoped that you would turn to me again. But… You never did, and I thought you hated me. Now I understand. The war. You had to be away a lot to scout and help. It is I who am sorry." The seeker sobs, jarring the seekerling at the sudden move, and Hound feels it topple onto him, the tiny claws scrambling for purchase before it slides down the armor and into free fall.

Pure reflex has him reaching and grabbing it and suddenly he stands with his servo full of an investigating and unconcerned little being, while the Sire flares his wings wide in a silent warning.

A short moment of panic and a look to the displeased Winglord and he is eagerly handing it back to its carrier, no matter how much he longs to lull it into recharge the way they used to with Starscream.

"Sorry." He apologizes, wide optics staring at Thundercracker out of the corner.

"No, no Hound. My fault. I shouldn't have been so sudden. It's just… Ratchet… How did it all happen?" The seeker asks. That is something he still doesn't know. He has been too caught up in Ratchet's situation to ask how it happened in the first place.

"Soundwave." The tracker hisses.

"He didn't…" Starscream shoots Thundercracker a nervous glance, "die?"

The dominant cant's his helm and prods at the bond, demanding an explanation to the sudden rise of troubled feelings in his mate, but Starscream seals it, doesn't allow Thundercracker to prod deeper and dig out the reason.

They don't need Thundercracker going rampart right now.

"No. That slagger is fragging resilient." Hound answers with a helm shake, "Purposely targeted Ratch with some extremely dangerous and invasive disease. Slowly eats him up from the insides. His spark is infected, and that is something Firstaid is unable to treat." He explains in a voice full of pain.

Reining in the runaway seekerling before it slips between his claws, Starscream stares with distant optics at the door into where Ratchet is currently resting.

"A disease you say…" He mutters with a frown.

Then he turns to look at Sideswipe and the healing wound and the frown deepens.

Some instinct is screaming, but at the moment he is unable to grasp the origin and understand the meaning behind the feeling. His thoughts are furthermore disrupted when the Prime walks in.

"Starscream. It is so good to see you up. Is that…?" The Autobot leader smiles, optics zeroing in on the wriggling puddle of goo in the seeker's claws. Firstaid was right, it does look like that. How strange.

"Optimus." The tricolored seeker greets with a smile, turning to face the red and blue mech, his seekerling staring with open fascination at the large stranger. "I apologize for its eagerness… It hasn't seen ground bound this close before." 'At least not while they were still alive.' He silently mutters to himself, grimacing at the thought of the large number of ground bound he has consumed during his time back on Cybertron.

"It is adorable." The Prime says crouching to look closer at the strange little individual wriggling and complaining in its carrier's claws. The complaining grows and a small screech leaves the small vocalizer before it digs its immature dentas into the plating of its carrier.

Having had enough Thundercracker walks up behind Starscream and takes his creation away from the curious Autobot leader. A low growl instantly silences the fussing seekerling and the Prime stares at the Winglord's retreating frame and the once again shielded creation.

Keeping his anger in check, Starscream apologizes to Optimus, before he walks to where Thundercracker is sitting, Skywarp curled against him, and when within reach he swipes at a blue wing, raking his claws along the surface and digs them firmly into the plating to really cause pain, without showing too much violence in the presence of the Autobots.

The large frame jerks at the pain, but the wings willingly pushes against the attack. However, when the Winglord looks up, the optics shows no apology.

::Mine.:: Thundercracker pushes, cradling the seekerling flush against his cockpit.

::MINE!:: Starscream counters with force, flaring his wings in open hostility.

There is no response from the dominant, instead Thundercracker rises and walks out of the medbay, still with the seekerling secured firmly in his grasp. Starscream is instantly onto him, but the cramped corridor prevents him from doing anything before they are outside.

Skywarp sheepishly glances at the stunned grounders before he with a pop is gone from the room, rematerializing atop the volcano and the prepared resting area. There he oversees Starscream for the first time truly punishing Thundercracker and the following heated interfacing between the pair.

The following days become a routine for the seekers as well as the Autobots. At sunrise Thundercracker ascertains his dominance over Starscream before the tricolored seeker vanishes down into the Autobot base, much to the embarrassment of the grounders keeping watch over the precipice at any time.

Taking their optics off of a trio of wild seekers? No way!

Then Starscream spends his time overseeing Sideswipe's healing, reopening the gaping hole behind the regrown plating to apply more nanites to supply the frame with the substance needed to regrow all the damage, since the frontliner isn't a seeker and doesn't do it on his own.

When that is seen to he simply just sits by Ratchet inside the antechamber.

Meanwhile Thundercracker has taken to keep watch from the precipice during the whole day, only disrupted by times where he flies and strays far away from the area around the volcano.

Skywarp bounces between his mates, appearing in the medbay when Starscream is done with Sideswipe to keep the tricolored seeker company for a short while beside Ratchet. Other times he is seen curling into Thundercracker, demanding attention during the short moments where the Winglord isn't stationary on his watch post.

Calm settles over the base at the sight of the seekers this domestic and it would be so easy for them to forget how dangerous their current guests actually are, if not for the outbursts between the three seekers now and then, showing their natural brutality.

Then comes the morning where Starscream with a sigh announces that he can't do any more for Sideswipe and that the rest of the healing now is solely up to the red frontliner and the internal self-repair.

He stops, almost chokes on the words and his optics widens comically.

"But Starscream, we don't have internal self-repair." Firstaid explains.

Trembling Starscream looks down at his claws and just stares, feeling so utterly stupid.

If the nanites work on Sideswipe, then maybe…

"A syringe. I need a syringe!" He calls out, scrambling towards one of the cabinets and opens drawer after drawer until he finds what he is searching for.

Holding the needle up to optic level he wonders how much he will need…

"Starscream?" Firstaid inquires, seeing the seeker hold one of the largest syringes in their assortment.

"Not now 'Aid. I need to think." Starscream absentmindedly waves the question away.

The moment he plunges the needle into an energon line, Skywarp materializes with Thundercracker. The Winglord is in a thunderous foul mood at the feeling of pain from his tricolored mate when Starscream pierces his own plating and withdraws a decent amount of his own energon into the syringe.

/Starscream! What are you doing?/ Skywarp asks worried.

/Saving my creator./ There is no doubt in his voice, and without even glancing at his mates, he walks with determined steps to the ante chamber and Ratchet.

* * *

Clarification: The nanites is an extra enhanced healing to the physical part of the seeker, supporting the regrowth of lost parts on the seekers. The internal self-repair is what made them impossible to down with any biological warfare during the war on Cybertron, when the Autobots tried to use virus, diseases and poison to incapacitate their fierce enemies. For the most part it is protocols and subroutines running inside the seeker, but there is a part of it lingering in their energon as well, making it possible for them to negate the invasion of anything malicious or unnatural to the seekers frames the instant it enters them.

Which is what Starscream realized, and now is trying on his creator.


	9. Chapter 9

This is one of the most important instalments in this story, and i hope you like the twist.

* * *

"_Ratchet."_

_The CMO looks around at his surroundings. Everything is a strange greyish green. He can't seem to find the speaker, and as he moves, the surroundings vanish in misty grey. The fog is curling sluggishly around his frame and where it caresses him, his plating is numbing._

_It is slowly draining him of his energy._

"_No more!" The voice speaks up, and searing light cleaves through the suffocating surroundings, blinding him._

_When his optics finally is able to adjust to the sudden light, he looks up, glancing at the magnificent celestial being standing a short distance away._

_The wings are the first thing he realizes about the being, and for a short moment he thinks it is Starscream._

_But then he meets the optics and drowns in their blackness._

_Eons pass by in his mind as he stares into them; visions, evolution, himself in his fight for his people during the war on Cybertron. Everything is visible for him in that short moment._

"_It is time." The god, because it can't possibly be anyone else standing in front of him, speaks._

"_Primus." He hesitantly vocalizes, unsure if this really is their god. He was never pictured like this in the temples. Who would have thought that their god looks like a…seeker?_

"_Do not fear Ratchet. I am your god. Everything is going to return to how it always should have been. Your adopted creation, Starscream, has already taken the first step for you. Now I just need for you to reawaken and welcome what awaits you. Let it happen. Never fear. I will be with you." The Sky Above reassures._

"_S-Starscream?" The medic stutters. As far as he knows the seeker is back on Cybertron, living his new life among his people._

_The god just nods._

"_Wh-where am I?" Ratchet asks, now that most of the shock at the sight of the seeker, the god, has vanished he looks around, only to see blinding light obscuring his vision._

"_The ethereal plane. The step between the living world and the Afterlife." The god answers, slowly walking closer._

"_It is time." The Sky Above announces once more, now standing directly in front of the medic._

_When Ratchet looks up he sees the claws reaching for him, then no more._

* * *

Earth is covered in darkness. It is in the middle of the night. No Autobot is awake inside the space ship.

At the top of the volcano the three seekers are in sound recharge.

A pair of yellow optics online in the darkness, the light from the moon illuminating the Winglords frame as he breathes heavily from the dream that just woke him.

Lifting his helm he stares up at the stars blinking down at him and his mates, a frown on his face.

Canting his helm, listening, he grunts a gust of air before settling to rest between his mates.

A moment later he lifts his helm again and snarls at the unseen intruder, annoyed at being disturbed in his recharge.

The voice doesn't hold up and to not wake his mates he rises and walks down the mountain, the massive frame and large talons digging into the ground as he travels. It would be so easy to just fly down it, but that is going to wake his mates.

At the bottom of the mountain he lets out another snarl, low and threatening, yet the voice keeps urging him on.

It drives him to the edge of the crack in the ground, and the entrance to the grounders far down below. Leaping into the abyss he slowly glides down, adjusting his fall with his wings and lands with a heavy thud at the bottom.

His large claw pokes in the code to open the doors. Three to the right, two down, one up, one left, four to the right, six down and eight up, five left and then lastly a poke at the large pad verifying the code. The sequence is accepted and the heavy blast doors slides aside to grant access to the insides of the space ship.

Crouching low, Thundercracker steps inside, growling at the creeping claustrophobia.

The voice leads him down narrow corridor after corridor, and when he stands in front of the medbay and the demanding keypad, demanding yet another code, one he doesn't have, he just slams his large servo onto it and crushes it. The door, malfunctioning at the sheer force of destruction and sparking ruined circuitry, opens on its own volition.

Entering the medbay he scents deeply. There is a strange scent wharfing in the room, tantalizing and alluring to the seeker. Thundercracker doesn't even realize that at this point the voice in his mind is silent.

Drawing in the hypnotizing scent, the Winglord mindlessly walks further into the medbay. He whirrs his helm from side to side to draw more of the scent into his olfactory sensor to locate from where it originates and follows the wharfing scent trail in the air as it drags him towards the antechambers.

The scent grows in strength as he closes in on one of the chambers and his systems are bursting with energy and need. His spike throbs painfully behind the cover and his spark burns inside his sparkchamber.

The door easily fall victim to the power of the seeker and the intensity of the scent inside the room almost sends the Winglord to his knees.

Stepping inside, the last vestiges of his control slips and his spike extends, oozing prefluids profusely, the heavy scent in the room arousing the seeker into a near frenzy.

Smoldering yellow optics zeroes in on the being lying on the sole berth in the room. Fangs is bared at the fact that it is this being who releases the alluring scent and the massive seeker stops at the end of the berth, optics taking in the sight.

Just then blue optics onlines.

There is a seeker looming above him…

There is a seeker…

He panics when the seeker lowers its helm towards him, the yellow optics fierce and smoldering, the breaths from the predator blowing scorching hot air over his frame.

He can hear it scenting deeply and he cringes when those optics stops mere inches from his face, burning into his own. He doesn't dare breathe.

A lyrical trill leaves it, and in deep shock he realizes that he recognizes the sound.

Thundercracker.

Claws move up his legs, stops at his hips and he is jerked down along the surface of the berth. His legs are dangling uselessly over the edge and to his shock the Winglord positions itself between them, forcing them obscenely and widely apart with the mass of his strong legs.

He looks up in the broadness of the seeker's chest and cockpit while the seeker crouches above him, the extreme size difference making what is happening even crazier. The thought of what Thundercracker is trying insane enough.

They aren't compatible.

Autobots don't reproduce like…

The spike nudges at his plating and he can't help looking down. He swallows hard at the sight of the large thick member standing proudly between the strong legs.

When the seeker realizes that this isn't possible…

He shivers at the sight of the claws now resting at each side of his midsection; large and menacing and ready to tear him apart.

To his surprise Thundercracker retreats, the looming presence moving down along his frame and he thinks he is going to survive this encounter.

His hope is crushed and his shock even more profusely when a warm, wet and smooth glossa begins to lick at the area between his legs, almost coaxing. The purr leaving the seeker shocks him even more.

But what truly shocks him to his spark is the feeling of pleasure the act creates in his frame.

So intense that he can't hold back a moan followed by a whimper at the feeling of the seeker's dangerous fangs gracing him with each move of the glossa.

"Primus." He breathes, unable to believe that this is actually happening. That he has a seeker kneeling between his legs and…servicing him?

And why is it doing it?

Why does it feel like this?

Why?

The growing heat in his frame begins to pool in his lower midsection and soon it morphs into an outright unpleasant feeling. Something is going to give or he is going insane at the feelings just growing and growing.

A small snick sounds, but he doesn't have any chance to linger on the peculiar sound, because a scream is wrought from him at the feeling of the glossa plunging INSIDE him, into the hyper sensitive newly developed valve.

Shaken to his core, Ratchet feels how his whole frame trembles. The rattling of his frame sounds strangely loud and he cant's his helm to locate the origin and just stares and stares and stares at the clearly developing wings accenting his shoulders on each side of his helm.

This has to be a dream.

This can't be reality.

It can't!

_Do not fear Ratchet. Everything is as it shall be. _The god calmly speaks to him.

But-…

_Let it happen._

But-…

Thundercracker rises, once again looming as an ominous shadow above him. Scorching plating connects with his, the seeker's spike nudging almost gently at the valve entrance, grinding in slow motions and it takes a moment for Ratchet to realize that he is reciprocating the movement. His valve clenches and spark deep want funnels a fire inside him.

He wants it, whatever the 'It' is.

The moment of penetration has him screaming at the top of his vocalizer when unused sensors are triggered by the entry and he shakes violently as the spike fills him out completely. The seeker shuffles between his legs, adjusts its much larger frame and bends in its knees to have the perfect angle to sheath itself fully.

The first real thrust is full of force and moves the medic several inches up the berth, rattling his developing wings and forces a suffering sound from his vocalizer. The large blue frame moving above him lowers closer to his and as he reaches on pure reflex to find any support to prevent him from moving uncontrollable beneath the rutting seeker, he grabs onto the wings lowered invitingly towards him.

He tries to keep the grip gentle, but the force of the mating forces him to dig his digits into the surface to remain still.

A broken sound escapes the Winglord at the touch and the spike moves erratically inside the valve for several long kliks until the seeker regains control and adds more power behind the thrusting.

"Thundercracker." He whispers brokenly just before overload claims him and he spasms violently beneath the seeker. Uncaring the seeker keeps going, but its helm lowers to rest against Ratchet's neck, a continuous purr flowing from its vocalizer.

/Mine./ Thundercracker purrs at the feeling of the essence of this new…seeker now nestling inside the Winglord essence.

He can feel his own overload approach and baring his fangs against the vulnerable neck he scents in everything Ratchet has to offer him, the alluring scent, the scent of the energon running inside the energon lines so close to his fangs.

The scent no longer tempts him to rip them open and feed.

Then he overloads, his transfluids filling the valve in long almost painful jets and he roars his pleasure. The pleasure grows when he feels the reaction in the frame beneath him.

/Yes./ he moans, unable to believe what is happening.

Triggered by the rush of transfluids, Ratchet jerks in a moment's pain only to collapse completely spent when the small convulsions ceases to a short moment later be replaced by a feeling of warmth in his chest.

Thundercracker retracts gently from the valve and looks down at the lite frame beneath him. Not yet a true seeker, but he can see and feel the changes happening. Starscream is going to have a true creator among their people.

With a last glance at Ratchet, who now, on instinct is curling into a ball and protecting his chest and midsection, the Winglord silently retreats from the room and back to his mates, his purpose completed.

_Rest my dearest creation. You will need what energy you can get in the time to come._ The Sky Above gently touches the medic's mind for the last time before he retreats back into the Afterlife, but intent on following the proceedings and consequences behind the revealed reality.

They are all seekers.

* * *

Now we can really move onto the plot in the story. There will be explanations on what happened in Ratchets frame as well as what caused the grounders to develop in the first place and break away from their people, their evolution, the development of their society and the change in cultural, social and traditional behaviour. The Matrix will be explained as well. Be in for some surprising new facts and the revelations of the small hints scattered all over the length of 'On Seeker Habits'.


	10. Chapter 10

When Ratchet uncurls after a little hour of nursing the strange new feeling inside him, he looks around and expects to still find Thundercracker there, hovering over him.

But he is alone in the dim darkness.

He runs a scan of his frame, the procedure strangely sluggish, not really wanting to obey him, but he manages to complete one after a few attempts.

He is…

He is…

He is carrying?

The red and white wings begin to tremble at the emotions surfacing inside him at the fact.

He…

Thundercracker…

"Oh my!"

He rises to sit on the berth and tries to calm his frantic spark. He is sure the Sire is going to be pretty angry at him if he by pure stress extinguishes the small newspark.

"Calm down Ratchet. Calm down. Everything is okay."

But…

It isn't.

It just isn't.

He is turning into a seeker.

And how the frag is that happening?

Why did Thundercracker come to him?

Why did the Winglord spark him?

There are so many questions rising in his processor that he can feel how his frame begins to overheat.

As a result he can feel how his wings are twitching nervously on his back, fanning erratically as a sea of emotions fights a war inside his spark. It definitely takes some getting used to, and with a curious glance over his left shoulder he stares at them as they move in uncontrolled patterns.

With growing curiosity he studies the patterns and notes the feelings prompting each movement, trying to single out the unending ways of communicating his feelings with them and gain control over what he is communicating to the world around him.

When something prompts him to reach and touch them, examine them, he stops at the sight of his servo. His wings stiffens completely in shock before they almost topples him from the berth at the violent distress showing in them.

Claws.

He is growing claws.

He can see how his digits is sharpening, growing longer and has begun to curve slightly at the very tip.

No.

No!

He can't handle all this.

Not alone.

He carefully leaves the berth; swaying dangerously before he finds his balance and his wings stabilize him. At least they know what to do, because he is clueless. They might not be as large as he knows they are going to be, but already now they make him unstable with the change in balance point.

The first step he takes threatens to send him collapsing to the floor in sheer pain.

His feets hurts!

"Primus, why me?!" He whimpers pathetically.

Every step forces tears to well in his optics. At least Thundercracker has left the route out of the spaceship open and without any hindrance. Supporting himself against the walls he stumbles along the empty corridors towards the exit.

When he finally makes it outside he almost cries at the sight of the steep walls surrounding the spaceship down in the crack.

How is he ever going to get up from down here with his feets hurting like this?

Any will leaves him at the sight of the merciless slopes along the walls he used to travel to get up when he was a ground bound, but now it is an impossible obstacle course. It is too dangerous in his unstable state.

"Why!" he screams in powerlessness looking up at the night sky high above. With the first shakes of his frame he collapses and allows himself to finally cry out all his misery.

He doesn't know for how long he stays like that, all that matters in the very instant he hears sound is the being silently descending down into the crack, the wings rattling as the seeker adjusts its fall and then lands beside him, barely jostling anything when it lands.

He looks up with tears in the corners of his optics, and streaks of tears along his cheeks, optics pleading.

A soothing croon, almost sounding as an apology and then strong arms wraps around him, lifting him as if he is nothing more than a feather.

Curling into Thundercracker's soothing presence he lets out a few more sobs before the stress and the sense of security in the Winglords embrace lulls him into recharge while the seeker bounces and brings his thrusters alive to carry them to the surface.

He shouldn't have left; Thundercracker realizes that as he looks down at the medic curled securely in his arms as he ascends to the surface again. He should have stayed to make sure the seeker would be alright. He hadn't expected it to despair at his absences as he in his essence had felt it did.

With a gentle nudge he can feel that the newspark is well and healthy, not suffering from its carrier's chaotic feelings and he lets out a little coo as he lands beside the crack in the ground.

Looking up at the volcano where his mates still rests, he contemplates what to do. Then he shrugs and gently places the medic onto the ground before he lies down beside the smaller seeker and curls his frame protectively around the red and white frame, completely obscuring Ratchet from sight and protecting him from the coldness of the night.

Starscream and Skywarp are safe enough for the time being. It is more important that he takes care of this new seeker and carrier of his newspark.

As he offlines his optics and settles down to rest and watch over the recharging red and white seeker, he wonders about what is causing all this. The dream returns to the forefront of his mind and he frowns at the vocalizations between the godly being and Starscream's creator.

Are there more of them?

If so…

The Winglord hesitates, onlines his optics and stares into the darkness around him.

Crossfire is going to arrive within the next orns.

There is still fighting going on, on this planet.

He can't lose a single one of the grounders on this planet if…

…Starscream's creator isn't the only one.

It has to end.

They have to return to old times and only hunt the grounders to capture not kill.

Then he widens his optics as he realizes that THIS is what caused him to act so lenient towards the red grounder several orns before. It would have died, but something in his spark told him he couldn't let that happen, and prompted him to act.

/Sky Above./ He hisses, realizing that their god is manipulating him.

Just like this recharge cycle.

But the feeling of the two new presences within the essence calms his anger and he curls a bit tighter around Ratchet's recharging form.

/No more!/ He murmurs determined, the words a vow to protect all the possible seekers resting below the surface of the earth.

Cybertron's grounders will have to wait. He isn't a god, he can't save them all from the continued hunts in the following orns, but the instant Crossfire shows up, his fastest scout is going to be sent back with an reinforced glyph forcing EVERYTHING going on back on Cybertron to stop until he has returned.

It is going to cause uproar. He is well aware of that. And he is going to be challenged, but he can't disregard any of this just to keep his powerbase secure.

That is not his purpose as a Winglord.

He needs to see to the welfare of all his people. And if these grounders truly are his people in some strange way, then he has obligations. He can't allow them to be hurt any further, not by his seekers or their own kind.

With that in mind, he settles down again to watch over the red and white seeker just as the sun begins to brighten the horizon, proclaiming the slow beginning of a new day on Earth.

The light grows, expands and soon the sun peeks over the horizon, claiming more and more of the sky in a startling pinkish glow. The clouds illuminates and looks like they are burning from the gentle touch of the light reflecting in them and sending the light expanding even more.

The light claims more and more of the sky until it begins to stretch and expand along the ground, burning away the lingering coldness with its heat. It stretches and finally reaches its destination. Thundercracker looks up when the first rays of sunlight caresses his wings, flickering them to draw in more of the offered heat.

With a content sigh he uncurls from around Ratchet and stands, flares his wings and bathes them in the welcoming sunlight. On the ground Ratchet begins to stir when his own wings is touched by the gentle warmth and rouses him.

He onlines his optics sluggishly to the sight of the Winglords impressive thrusters only a few dozen inches from where he is resting his helm. A glance up has him following the lines of the powerful frame, and in his processor he is distantly aware that he should be afraid of being this close to the seeker.

Why isn't he afraid?

What has happened?

Why is the seeker here and not on Cybertron?

Something on his back moves and he uncurls in annoyance to look.

The instant he does, everything catches up with him and the distress from before he entered recharge resurfaces in full force.

The wings begin to rattle and he is unable to silence them.

"No. No, this isn't happening. This can't be. It is just a dream. Wake up Ratchet. Wake up now, please." He mutters as he curls in on himself again and begins to rock his frame in distress, uncaring that the movements send pangs of pain from the wings. Not HIS wings. They aren't real.

A shadow looms over him, blocking out the sunlight and he flinches when Thundercracker kneels down beside him and reaches claws towards him. His optics widens and he desperately wishes for them to strike, to hurt him so that everything is as it should be. Their gentle reaching is simply too surreal.

He whimpers when they touch him, his processor screaming to him that this isn't a dream, it is real… horribly real.

He begins to cry and violent shakings rattles his whole frame. The touch from the Winglord is far from soothing.

He is drowning in despair and distress, his processor full of thoughts, his spark full of feelings and the two clashes as he tries to keep himself in denial of reality.

Sounds. In his internal battle he is distantly aware of sounds.

Then more claws are touching him, arms snaking around him, embracing him, hugging him close, close to a frame too small to be Thundercracker's.

He onlines his optics and stares up into emotional yellow optics.

Starscreams.

Tears begin to fall from them, and he mirrors them, allowing the flood of feelings to finally overtake him and he cries shamelessly in the embrace of his creation, digging his digits into the plating holding him, seeking an anchor.

/Ratchet./

He frowns at the lyrical intonation.

He can't understand it.

"Ratchet." Starscream turns to common cybertronian.

"My Starscream. My little creation." He sobs. It has been so long since he last saw the seeker and… He is there now. He can feel how his sharp digits begin to penetrate the plating he holds cramp-like onto, but he can't seem to bring himself to let go on the seeker.

"Wh-what has happened to you? Why is this happening? When I left you were okay, you were not turning into…this." Starscream glances over the reforming frame of his creator, panic and guilt warring inside his spark.

"I don't know!" The words are hysterical and his crying just intensifies at the fact that even Starscream doesn't know what is going on. The god had referred to his creation doing something, but if Starscream doesn't know…

Thundercracker gently nudges Starscream, nuzzles his helm against a cheek wet with tears and the Winglord speaks something which seems to only worry Starscream more.

A moment later he is lifted out of Starscreams embrace to weak protests from the tricolored seeker. There is some more lyrical communication and he can feel how the air vibrates with movements of wings, some harsh, some fanning, just like the sounds.

He can imagine their argument.

He begins to struggle when Starscream completely let's go on him.

No!

He wants to stay with his creation, the only thing in the universe that currently is grounding him, preventing him from going completely insane in the insanity his life has become.

"Thundercracker is going to take you up. Relax and flare your wings, let them feel." Is the last he hears from Starscream before thrusters ignites in full force. He looks down as the tricolored frame just grows smaller and smaller the higher Thundercracker soars into the sky.

Strange calmness settles over him with the first harsh blow of the wind, and his wings twitches eagerly when the sensors register the playful caresses along them. The world below is so immensely large, yet so small. His processor willingly informs him of their height, and the fear that should have been there isn't; instead he feels a sense of complete freedom.

If it weren't for his still underdeveloped wings he is sure he would have willingly jumped into the air. Instead he looks up at Thundercracker, leans against the powerful frame carrying him into his new element. Everything seems a little bit more bearable with a calm and clearer mind.

Then Thundercracker throws him out and away from the frame keeping him airborne and he panics.

He flails, reaches for the Winglord, optics wide and begging, but Thundercracker just watches him with almost expectant optics.

His wings flares on instinct, slows his descend and even if they aren't large enough to keep him stationary he can feel their power and ability. He is able to tweak them slightly and change his direction and speed with which he falls.

He looks up at the Winglord now hovering far above him, and a serene smile forms on his lips at the sight of the seeker following him down.

Trust.

His spark swells with it.

Then a sharp blow of the wind sends him into a spin and a short moment of panic overtakes his spark, but the next instant Thundercracker has shot down and is now embracing him again.

When they land on the ground again, he is a completely changed mech – seeker.

He is a lot more comfortable with this new frame developing out from his old one and his wings stands high and proud for the very first time. Thundercracker grunts and pokes a bit at them, lowering them slightly by his touch.

Skywarp walks up to them, pushes Thundercracker away with a rise and flicker of the black wings and then drags a put-off Ratchet with him towards Starscream.

The Winglord growls at the daring move from his mate, but does no further. He just settles down to keep watch over the three submissives as Ratchet kneels beside Starscream and is introduced to the seekerling for the very first time.

At the same time down in the medbay, Firstaid walks in to the sight of the ruined door into Ratchet's antechamber and the missing presence of their CMO.


	11. Chapter 11

This chapter suffers a bit from lack of energy yesterday, stress and troubles to get it started the right way. I hope i have managed to fix it into the flow from the other chapters, but if it seems a bit forced, that is why.

* * *

"Do you like him?" Starscream asks suddenly while he nudges a feeding line to the seekerling in his creator's servo.

"What do you mean?" Ratchet asks with a frown.

"You are constantly casting him glances Ratchet. Your wings are sending him signals." The tricolored seeker points out with a smirk as he looks towards where Thundercracker is perched against a large boulder, watching them.

Sensing his tricolored mate looking at him, Thundercracker flickers his wings flirtingly and Starscream responds willingly, giving the dominant a tantalizing display with his own wings.

Just a little more time and he know Thundercracker is going to lumber over and claim one of them.

He truly loves to see his dominant in a blaze of fiery arousal and doesn't care if it is going to be Skywarp or himself that is going to be the target of the lust he is rising in their dominant. It is a thrill to be able to awaken such reactions in the Winglord.

He can sense Skywarp's pleased response in their bond and he turns to smile charmingly at the black and purple seeker, scorning Thundercracker for a moment, aware that his obvious disregard of the dominant, now that he has begun this little game, is going to cause Thundercracker to snap sooner than later.

"Maybe." Ratchet reluctantly replies as he grudgingly admits that something inside him yearns to react to the Winglords flickers as well. However, he doesn't, because that is his creation's mate and thus in his mind off-limits, even if he is sparked up by the dominant.

Lingering on that thought, there is something he needs to ask.

"It doesn't bother you that he sparked me?" he asks while he affectionately rubs at his chestplates and stares at the blatant display from the dominant.

"He is the Winglord." Starscream answers matter-of-factly, as if it explains everything. And it would, if Ratchet had been as educated in seekers as Starscream now is after living almost a stellar cycle among his people.

Finally Thundercracker rises and Starscream trills a small tune as the dominant walks towards them, yellow optics smoldering.

"He is the epitome of our people, and as such he donates his coding to the trines not having a dominant. He is our mate, but he isn't exclusively ours on that matter. We need him to spread his coding to strengthen our specie." Starscream explains as Skywarp is forced onto his back and mounted, Thundercracker's spike extending and dripping with transfluids, showing how utterly he has succeeded in arousing their mate.

Skywarp keens when he is penetrated and Ratchet looks away, too ashamed to look at the display. Instead he refocuses his attention on the seekerling in his servo and gently nuzzles the translucent wings.

"It is just like you. I can't believe you have been this small." He tells Starscream, desperate to change topic and not pay attention to the mating going on right over there!

Starscream smiles knowingly, but allows Ratchet this small peace of mind.

He has been there himself, but is firmly cured of his bashfulness. You simply can't hold onto it when so much in their society centers on reproduction and dominant displays, interfacing being one of the most protruding.

"We have all been this small, even Thundercracker. Then we grow up and isn't so small any longer." He points out, remembering Thundercracker's words when he had been introduced to Skywarps little young at their first real meeting, the one that almost went so awfully wrong between them.

"I still can't believe that this is real." Ratchet whispers, awestruck as he looks from the seekerling to the rutting dominant and compares the crazy size difference. It makes him wonder how big his own newspark is going to be, and for how long he is going to be carrying.

There is so little he knows about the seekers, and turning into one doesn't just provide him with all the answers.

"I now understand better what you saw in him." The medic murmurs, turning to glance at Starscream again. Thundercracker is speaking to his inner-most feelings and he isn't sure how much is from the fact that he is a powerful dominant, their Winglord, or Sire to the newspark developing inside him.

Coding.

The seekers are ruthlessly ruled by it, as he learned when Starscream at first refused the trine coding.

How will it affect himself?

Is he going to have a trine someday?

How will his dominant be?

His thoughts are disturbed when Skywarp protests wildly, the seeker soundly approaching overload, if the tiny whining noises is anything to go by, but Thundercracker has stopped moving and looks up from where he is nibbling the energon lines in the black and purple seeker's neck, yellow optics critically scanning their surroundings.

The next moment the dominant is withdrawing from the valve and Ratchet is unable to take his optics off of the spike and the lubricants clinging to it. He shudders at the sight of it retracting behind its cover; the movement of the spike as it retracts painstakingly slow as if the move is agonizingly painful.

/Thundercracker?/ Starscream asks, following Thundercracker's gaze as the dominant scans their surroundings.

/Listen./ The Winglord answers curtly, not taking his optics off of their surroundings, as if he expects an attack any moment.

That is when he becomes aware of the sound that has entered their surroundings.

A klaxon.

One he recognizes.

The one belonging to the medbay.

He turns towards Ratchet with narrow optics, hiding the rising panic in his spark.

"You didn't tell anyone that you left?" He asks his creator.

"What? No! What wouldn't they have thought at the sight of this?!" Ratchet gestures down his frame, "Wasn't like I was that coherent either to think about it." he adds with a solemn mutter.

"Well, they have discovered you missing presence. The medbay klaxon is active. I guess Firstaid got the shock of a lifetime at the sight of you missing." Starscream explains, unaware of the telling signs of Thundercracker's claws at the keypad beside the malfunctioning door into the medbay or the shredded door to the antechamber leading the Autobots into an all-out panic at the evidence and unmistakable identity of the attacker.

All this Thundercracker is unaware of as he rises to stand protectively in front of the three submissives.

He just senses a threat from the sound of the klaxon, associating it with previous experiences of similar sounds. His knowledgebase isn't large, the sound alien, but every time he has heard it, something has happened.

The sound of movement draws his attention to the crack, and with a growl slowly growing in volume, he raises his wings; flares them to their full height and width, doubling his apparent size to look more intimidating and threatening to the incoming presences.

It is this sight that greets the Autobots who emerges from the crack, and faced with the impressive threatening display the misunderstanding just worsens.

With weapons ready to attack, the display just careens them over the edge and thinking that they are avenging their dead CMO and protecting themselves from a murderous seeker they unleashes the first volley of attacks onto the Winglord.

The full force of Ironhide's dual cannons is the first to slam into the large frame, hitting dead center in the Winglords chest and forces Thundercracker to stagger, take a step back and support his frame against the onslaught.

The next volley is armor penetrating bullets, the projectiles pinging in rivulets against the seeker's dense armor plating, denting when the continued salvos connects with the weakened spots, cracking the surface with their continued onslaught until Thundercracker turns his back to them and faces them with the back of his wings.

Another blast from Ironhide's cannons causes the blue seeker to collapse to the ground, kneeling, trying to remain stable while he roars out the searing pain from his wings when the potent energy is absorbed into his frame.

It might not damage him that much, put his sensors is screaming their pain to him, and his wings trembles with the continued attack on them by the bullets.

He is distantly aware of Starscream screaming something, but he is so focused on his processor that he can't locate any of his mates.

He can't let the coding activate.

He can't.

He is going to slaughter the very beings he vowed to protect if he does.

Then he senses Starscream at his back and he dares to glance over his shoulder to see what the submissive is doing.

He shouldn't be there!

Thundercracker can take the onslaught, the submissive can't.

/Go! Get away from here Starscream!/ He growls, voice strained by pain.

He watches incredulous as the tricolored submissive makes himself completely vulnerable to the incoming attacks as he stands in front of his dominant, arms stretching wide as if he thinks he is able to deflect the onslaught of the attacks by his sheer presence alone.

A few of the attacks hits home, almost dead center in Starscream's chest and Thundercracker can feel the surge of pain from his mate as Starscream takes damage, but he can't do anything for his submissive if he is to prevent himself from passing over the deadly edge and allow himself to be controlled by the coding and massacre the grounders.

/Get out of there./ He grits out through the pain in his frame, trembling violently. It is becoming harder and harder to keep himself in check.

/No!/ Starscream answer stubbornly taking another hit, this time to his wings.

But then it stops.

Sky Above, it stops.

And suffocating silence rings in the aftermath.

The sound of a frame collapsing is almost deafening in the silence and Thundercracker turns around to see Starscream curling in on himself, a sea of hurt and pain flowing in their bond. The ground is soaking in the seeker's energon.

::Starscream…?:: his fear drowns the coding still pestering him for a moment as he tries to get any answer from the tricolored seeker.

::I'm… going to be… okay. Just go! Burn it off. They didn't want to hurt me – any of us – not truly. We will be okay. Right now you are the danger to us. Go! Sort it out in the sky. Just…don't unleash your rage on them.:: Starscream answers, whimpering slightly when he moves to look up at the Winglord, energon bleeding from a wound at his right temple and dripping into his optics coloring their sparkling yellow a dull brown.

When Skywarp appears from his teleportation a safe distance away and warily gauges the Autobots as well as Thundercracker, the Winglord sighs, nods to his black and purple mate before he launches himself into the air and blasts away, his engines a deafening roar.

They all cowers at the sound and feeling of the unleashed sonic boom, but Skywarp and Starscream stares relieved at the departing figure of their dominant.

Starscream coughs and Skywarp diverts his attention back on his tricolored mate, running to where the seeker is curled on the ground and instantly begins to ascertain the damages on the frame.

/Frag it Starscream. Why did you have to do this?/ The black and purple seeker growls, noticing the wound at the shoulder joint where the plating has been stripped almost completely and is revealing the circuitry beneath. If that hit had been dead on… He shudders.

/I couldn't let him kill them. I wanted them to stop./ Starscream answers, wincing when Skywarp digs claws into the wound and begins to open it so that he can work with the nanites properly.

/He didn't kill them. I have never seen him not enter the crazed madness the coding causes. It makes me wonder what is going on./ Skywarp muses, before he begins to cough up the nanites and begins to work with the wound.

/I want to know why the Autobots panicked like this./ Starscream wonders, lifting his helm to look at the group standing a distance away. Optimus is nowhere to be seen in the group and he frowns. /Where did you take Ratchet by the way?/ he asks.

/Up there./ the black and purple seeker gestures with his helm to the volcano and Starscream can just barely discern the red and white color scheme of his creator. /I will take you up there when I am done with you. He is still pretty freaked out and I couldn't get him to calm down./

Starscream rises from the position on the ground when Skywarp has done what he can to the wound, and faces the Autobots with a rare expression of fury.

"Do you even know what you could have caused with your UTTER stupidity!?" He roars, thoroughly enraged.

Optimus choses that moment to emerge from the crack, a scowling Sunstreaker following. The Autobot leader remains silent in the back of the group, not drawing any attention to his arrival.

Instead he stares at Starscream, apology clear in his blue optics; the attack hadn't been sanctioned by him. Sunstreaker remains by the Prime, crosses his arms over his chest and glares around at his comrades, while Starscream continues ranting, telling them how foolish their actions had been, how suicidal they must be to attack Thundercracker.

The yellow frontliner knows that Thundercracker never would hurt Ratchet. He saved Sides and that is enough for Sunstreaker to change his attitude towards the large blue seeker.

"Right now he is up there burning off ruthless coding that would have forced him to slaughter you all for this foolish endeavor. I have never before seen any dominant be able to suppress it, so he truly didn't want any hurt to come to you, even if you attacked him and threatened Skywarp, Ratchet and me by the attack. It is completely unheard of! You should by all means be dead right now!" He finishes, the intensity of his words intensified by the tears falling from his optics at the thought of them all dying because of this.

It is an unbearable thought and he sags when Skywarp hugs him before teleporting them away, leaving the stunned Autobots alone to think about their actions.

"Ratchet?" Firstaid mutters stunned, optics glazed over as he stares at the purple mist where Starscream had been just a moment before.


	12. Chapter 12

They don't get much time to think about their actions.

Within minutes they get the first sign of what Starscream meant about Thundercracker burning off coding and in the following hours they are forced to passively watch what they have unleashed by their actions, unable to do anything.

"Prime! Message from Russia. Thundercracker has just attacked a squadron of their fighter jets during one of their training sessions. No survivors." Perceptor calls from where he is perched in front of Teletran 1, watching several live feeds of the merciless attacks from the Winglord all around the planet.

The Autobots survived their encounter with Thundercracker, the humans aren't that lucky.

Starscream is still isolating himself together with Skywarp on the top of the volcano. And if they heard right Ratchet is with them as well. Any attempt to reach the CMO has failed, no communication seems possible and every time they try to venture up the mountain, Skywarp pops into existence and with a threatening display forces them to back down.

It has been several hours since Thundercracker took off and the Winglord is leaving a trail of destruction in his wake as he circles the planet. No country has been spared a visit. Live feeds of the burning husks of planes are spreading like a wildfire on the internet causing global wide panic among the civilian population.

And there is only his Autobots to blame for the catastrophe.

And himself.

This wouldn't have happened if he had managed to take control over the panic among his crew.

"A call from the President." Perceptor's voice breaks into his thoughts and he turns to look at the large screen.

"The UN is demanding action. You can't allow this…this…beast to roam free without penalty Prime! I thought you were in control of that thing!" The President demands, cutting to the bone the instant he emerges on the screen, facial features hardened, grey eyes glinting steely.

"Control Thundercracker?" Someone whispers incredulous in the background and Optimus waves for silence.

"I am afraid I am out of options in this matter, Mr. President. Thundercracker is a different species from us and the leader of his people. He is a powerful adversary. On Cybertron they basically prey on our kind. We can't do anything to stop him. We will have to wait this out. I am sorry." The Prime answers honestly, his apology layered with the pain of all the human lives lost to this initial misunderstanding.

"There is honestly nothing you can do?" The human leader asks incredulous, fidgeting at the information so willingly provided by the Autobot leader on their powerlessness.

"Anything we try will just send him into an even greater frenzy, with the complete loss of all my crew as result. We can't intercept him in any way. All you can do is keep flight traffic to a minimum and sit this out. I assure you, he will cease this at some point, when, however, I am unable to tell you." Optimus answers with a deep sigh and shake of his helm.

"Very well. I will make a statement and inform the other countries." The President answers and with a solemn nod from the human the call is cut, the screen returning to show the several live feeds from around the planet once again.

Sideswipe's words from a few days back are true. Thundercracker is able to lay waste to a large part of this planet if provoked and right now he is dangerous, but not on an rampart to destroy everything around him, and they need to keep the Winglord as placated as possible until the coding ruling him is burnt off.

It is this knowledge he would have preferred to talk to Starscream about.

What can they expect?

But it is impossible with Skywarp this openly hostile to any closing in on their resting area at the top of the volcano.

It is obvious that he is protecting Starscream and the seekerling with Thundercracker absent.

"Prime! An Airbus 330 over France. Managed to initiate emergency landing when Thundercracker sliced up its right wing, however, its front wheel broke at the landing and there are casualties." Perceptor provides as the new data ticks in and the whispers in the room silences for a moment as all present stares at the screen and the ongoing rescue of the survivors from the harsh emergency landing.

The right wing is almost torn completely off of the plane and most of the damage is clearly not from the emergency landing.

"Where is he now?" At least the Winglord doesn't bother to shield his signature and they can follow his route to France's coastline and over the Atlantic Ocean, towards American soil.

Is he returning?

Is the nightmare over?

None of them dare hope.

The attacks just keep ticking in when the seeker enters U.S. Airspace. The few planes still in the air stand no chance and Thundercracker is onto them like lightning; fast and unpredictable to foresee.

The live feed of a Boeing 747 exploding in the air when it is hit by a bolt of laser fire shakes them all to their very sparks and they just stands there completely frozen as the remains of the plane descends in a burning inferno.

So many lives lost in just one simple move from the Winglord.

Glances are shared and they all just want to wake up from this nightmare to the Thundercracker they have come to know as domestic and protective and sane. Not this demonic version of the seeker.

Even Sunstreaker is wavering in his belief in the blue seeker as he stares at the growing casualties.

Coding Starscream had said.

Ruthless coding.

The yellow frontliner glances one last time at the screen before he turns to leave, heading towards the medbay and his twin.

Firstaid think Sideswipe is going to wake up soon and he wants to be by his side no matter what chaos the world around him suffers.

Sideswipe deserves that reassurance.

And he is sure to ask about Thundercracker.

Sunstreaker stops for a moment, hesitating. What is he going to tell his brother? That his hero has turned into a ruthless villain?

It is going to crush Sideswipe completely.

He desperately needs to have that talk with the seeker, but so far he has been too worried about his brother to seek out the seeker. Now he needs that talk even more to keep his faith in the Winglord, to know that Thundercracker still is Starscream's caring mate.

With a snarl at the troublesome feelings this crisis causes inside him, he tries to suppress the shiver running down his spinal strut and begins to move again, almost running towards the medbay and his brother, desperate to have something else on his mind.

Firstaid looks up when the yellow frontliner barrages into the medbay.

"H-Have they heard anything from Ratchet?" he asks nervously, walking over to the berth when Sunstreaker takes his usual spot beside his red twin.

"No. Hound says Skywarp still guards the volcano fiercely. There is no reaction at all from Starscream. He has tried to yell to get his attention, or the attention of Ratchet, but without any response." Sunstreaker answers, not even looking away from Sideswipe.

There is some small minute trembles now and then and he can feel how their bond is coming more alive, yet it is still far from what it used to be. But he can begin to sense his brother again and it eases his worry.

"I am pretty sure we are going to see him awake within the next few hours." Firstaid reassures as he studies the monitors and the growing parameters; showing increased processor activity, strong and growing spark pulse, increased flow of energon in the frame as well as sufficient cooling.

So far it seems Sideswipe isn't going to have any complications from his close embrace with death. He is going to recover completely without lingering damage.

"I can't wait to have his troublesome, exuberant personality back. And with Ratchet healthy and hopefully soon back among us I am sure everything is going to turn out all right for all of us." He adds with a small smile, and then with a reassuring pat on a yellow shoulder he turns away from the twins and returns to the sink and his work.

* * *

It takes all in all almost the full day before Thundercracker return to the volcano and by then humanity is thoroughly scared into a frantic, the casualties global wide nearing the million while the physical destruction is impossible to gauge or measure.

What they hadn't foreseen was that when they suspended any and all air traffic all over the planet, Thundercracker turned his attention onto the surface of the planet and began to simply level whole areas, completely careless in whether he attacked nuclear facilities, factories, hospitals or any other delicate buildings.

It is mainly why the casualties are as high as they are and also why almost every city skyline all over USA shows billowing smoke from ruined skyscrapers.

Absolutely nothing escaped the wrath of the Winglord.

Only the Empire State building got spared. They had all watched as the large building in the center of New York had been the next unfortunate target, only to be spared when Thundercracker suddenly veered violently, zigzagging between the city skyline surrounding the building and not causing one single damage.

That had been the first indication that something had changed in the seeker, and a small inkling of hope dared worm its way into their sparks.

They had held their breath as they watched the startling air show of the seeker almost flirting with the buildings, close enough for a human to reach out and touch the plating of the tetrajet, far enough from the structures to not cause more damage, than rattle the structures by the sheer force of his passing.

Just one miscalculation and he would have careened into one of the buildings, raining destruction onto the ground far below and the passing, fleeing humans panicking at the sight of the runaway seeker.

Ever since that stunt show, the destruction had dwindled to almost nothing and any further loss of lives had diminished drastically as well. They all breathed a collective sigh of relief when their tracking finally showed Thundercracker banking and leading a direction towards Mount St Helens.

And they relaxes even more so when proximity sensors alerts them to the approaching seeker.

The calamity is over, or so it at least seems.

Hound lifts his helm from where he is leaning against the boulders making up the bottom of the volcano at the sound of the approaching jet engines.

Thundercracker comes in low, begins to circle the mountain several times, dipping in altitude before he enters a steep climb and is greeted by his mates in the air over the volcano.

Skywarp teleports into the air beside the Winglord and hovers there for precious seconds before transforming into his tetrajet and follows Thundercracker's every move.

Starscream seemingly just jumps off of the precipice and transforms before blasting rapidly towards his mates joyful reunion, determined to not be left out.

Hound frowns at the clearly happy display between the three seekers.

Humanity lies in ruins, and Starscream is not mourning the losses around the planet, instead he is dancing flirtingly around the Winglord as if he doesn't care the least about the world around him.

He can't believe his own optics at the obvious change in his creation.

What has become of his little peace-loving creation? The one that Ratchet told him cried when he downed a human plane and first later realized that it wasn't a seeker, but steered by the tiny organics.

He begins to tremble and is unable to keep looking at the three seekers in their joy flight.

It is so wrong.

With a last glance up at the seekers he watches as Thundercracker herds his mates back to their resting area atop the volcano, the last rays of the sun bathing them in its gentleness, illuminating their colors and reflects on their pristine plating.

A glint of red and white catches his optics and he tries to adjust his sight to better see the frame, but he is too far away, the angle wrong and the light too bright in his optics to clearly discern it. However, it can only be Ratchet.

At least it seems Thundercracker is back to his usual imposing self and that at least is a good thing. With that knowledge he descends down the crack and into the spaceship to report his findings to his leader and hopefully get further knowledge on when Ratchet will be joining them.

* * *

Ratchet looks up when Thundercracker lands, the ground beneath his frame rattling with the power of the thrusters touching down. Blue optics meets yellow and he is frozen in place as Thundercracker almost arrogantly takes the few steps separating them on the precipice.

He can feel how is spark pulses faster as he looks up, almost straining his neck to keep the optics contact.

Then, much to his surprise and Starscream and Skywarps shock, Thundercracker buckles, his knees giving out and the resting area shakes with the large frame's impact with the ground. The Winglord sways dangerously, claws reaching towards him, almost begging, while the seeker lets out a beautiful trill and he stares mesmerized, unable to believe this…show of weakness in the large seeker.

What is going on?

"Ratchet, he is asking you to feed him." Starscream gently supplies, kneeling beside the dominant to keep him from collapsing completely.

"Why?" The question is the most pressing among the line of questions rising in his processor.

He moves to begin a scanning; his medical coding begging him to examine the seeker, but Starscream stops him from initiating it.

"He has been airborne the last fifteen hours and he didn't get the time to feed this morning. His frame has used up all reserves to deal with the immediate damages to his frame while he flew and he has used large amounts of energy to burn off the coding. I know a few energon cubes is going to set him straight, but his plea for you to feed him is a show of trust. Take it." Starscream explains, caressing his wings in a distracting manner as he speaks and Ratchet feels how his processor is swamped in fussy dizzying feelings.

"But-…" He begins to weakly protest.

"Your newspark will not be in danger during this. You will have time to replenish your levels long before you are reaching dangerous levels." The tricolored seeker breaks in as if reading the protest right out of his creator's mind.

That small reassurance does nothing for the panic in his spark. He still has the mindset of a grounder and to be asked to feed a seeker from his own lines trigger every survival instinct inside him.

He should say no, he want to say no, but the sight of Thundercracker looking this vulnerable and the sound of the stressed systems beneath the dense blue armor plating calls to something inside him.

Reaching a servo towards the Winglord, he hesitates before his digits touches the jawline. When the optics refocuses, telling him clearly that Thundercracker is slowly fading into stasis due to his depletion; he moves closer and lifts the other servo to stroke a cheek.

The seeker's lips parts slightly, showing just the sharp tips of the fangs and Ratchet shudders at the sight.

He is going to allow those to pierce his plating?

To his shock the thought doesn't just increase his fear, but also awakens a strange thrill.

Curiously he touches a digit to the tip of one of them and retracts it when just the slightest pressure pierces his plating and draws tiny drops of energon.

Thundercracker instinctually licks the trace of the energon with his glossa, and he purrs at the taste, but does nothing else.

"How-… Where?" he asks Starscream airily, optics almost hypnotized in their fixation on the Winglord.

"Wrist. Or your neck. What you feel most comfortable with. Though, the neck is mostly used between mates. More trust between the two engaging in this act." Starscream answers, stroking along Ratchet's right wrist and left side of his neck.

He shivers at the feeling of Starscreams claws and at the sight of how Thundercracker's optics seems to follow the tricolored seeker's touch to his frame, staring hungrily at the suggested lines Starscream almost presents for the Winglord to strike for.

"I-…"

No.

No!

He shakes his helm, trying to clear it.

"Give in to him, Ratchet. He isn't going to hurt you. This is completely normal among our people when someone is this depleted." Starscream whispers into his audio and he begins to shake, his wings vibrating, trembling with want and need and fear and-…

Our people.

He stutters when the words almost slam into his processor.

He isn't a grounder anymore.

"I-I… Yes." The stutter is a whisper, the acceptance barely one and he lowers his helm submissively, not seeing the flashing in Thundercracker's optics at the obvious show of submission.

Starscream sees it and feels the rush of arousal in the dominant. Ratchet triggers all the right buttons with his behavior, and Starscream smiles at the fact. Ratchet is going to survive among their people; there is no doubt with the way the medic already seems to instinctually react to Thundercracker.

It is good.

"Relax. Don't fear. Whatever he does don't fear. He isn't going to hurt you…much." He hitches at the last word, fear and a feeling of betrayal rising inside him. He is about to turn to stare at Starscream when Thundercracker moves and forces him to lie down beneath the heavier frame.

"Offer yourself to him Ratchet. Be the one to choose." Starscream warns when all Ratchet does is stare with wide optics at Thundercracker, not moving to offer either wrist or neck to the dominant.

Wrist or neck.

What to choose?

What to choose!

He offlines his optics and lifts his servo upwards not wishing to look when Thundercracker bites into it and the flow of energon from the wound.

The first he feels is lips against his plating as they gently nibbles at the area with the densest cluster of energon lines beneath and he moans at the sensation as well as the gentleness behind the touch.

He onlines his optics again to stare at the dominant's display.

This isn't a predator about to drain him dry.

This is Thundercracker almost…flirting with him in a sickening way, and he loves it.

Much to his horror his frame responds to the gentle touch of the lips, heating up and when the Winglord finally bites down and pierces his plating, he withers in intense pleasure, the pain not even registering as the drain on his frame begins.

Primus, this is unbelievable.

He doesn't know for how long Thundercracker stays like that, glossa swiping at the wound as the seeker forces the flowing energon into his mouth, down the intake and into starving systems.

He groans when Thundercracker finally withdraws from the bleeding wound, the fangs leaving the puncture wounds they have created and he dizzily monitors his energy levels to see how much the seeker has drained. He is hovering just above 67% and he can feel how the loss of life fluids is making him more and more groggy.

He is distantly aware of Thundercracker coughing, and in his state, he frowns at the sound, only to hiss in pain when the wound is touched. The pain is instantly soothed and he dozes off a bit, optics blurring and slowly offlining.

There is lips against his, the feeling of fangs, the strange tangy taste of energon, and then he enters recharge, his systems shocked by the loss of energy.

Only a few minutes pass before he regains consciousness again, and he stares up into smoldering yellow optics and flinches at how close Thundercracker is with the seeker resting most of his weight onto his smaller frame.

No.

No more.

He doesn't have the energy for more.

He lifts his arms to weakly push at the seeker on top of him and sobs when Thundercracker heeds his wish and moves off of his frame, no longer trapping him.

A soft soothing coo and strong arms embraces him when he rolls onto his side and just hugs himself. The feeling of powerful but laborious systems at his back is lulling and it takes a moment before he realizes that Starscream is kneeling in front of him with an energon cube.

"You did well Ratchet. Now, refuel and relax. Skywarp is feeding Thundercracker right now. Just relax and enter recharge. We can talk more about what happened today tomorrow." The seeker soothes, holding the cube to his creator's lips and slowly tips it to allow Ratchet to slowly gulp down the fuel into his systems.

Ratchet sighs when his fuel levels have been restored and snuggles into the frame at his back while Starscream curls around him at his front. The last thing he sees is the seeker's yellow optics before his own slowly offlines.


	13. Chapter 13

_He looks at the surroundings materializing around him._

_Huh?_

_Where is he?_

_And why is everything this dull grey?_

_Seriously, if he had any say he would suggest the owner to put in some more colors. Like, red or yellow, even blue would lighten up this place._

_Blue like Thundercracker's. Yeah that would do these surroundings justice._

_Just not this boring grey_

_Speaking of…_

_Is that a seeker?_

_He stares as translucent light breaks through the grey dullness, the shape of wings standing out, but then everything just blanks out at the feeling of an intense suffocating grip on him and he distantly hears a voice before he fades into a new nothingness completely different from the grey surroundings._

"_Not yet little one."_

Systems reboot and with a jolt he rolls off of the berth, poised and ready to defend himself against an unseen enemy.

Huh?

Where is the Decepticons?

What happened?

With a franticly pulsing spark Sideswipe looks around, the feeling of the suffocating grip on his spark still lingering and he breathes heavily. Slowly his surroundings morph into the contours of familiarity and he stares around at the insides of the Ark's empty medbay.

Oh…

Right, he got damaged.

The memories from the battle returns to him vaguely and glimpses of the large Decepticon with the horrible weapon ready to cleave him surfaces, he remembers the pain when it hit him in the midsection and how everything afterwards became a blur.

Then he smiles when the blue winged figure shows up in his memories. Thundercracker came to help them! He had been right, and Sunny was wrong about the seeker. He is on their side. Why else would he show up and defend them?

"Sunny!" He exclaims, throwing the bond wide open only to sense his brother in deep recharge. His prodding doesn't do anything other than cause Sunstreaker to slam the bond shut and for a moment he feels offended.

He scoffs.

::Thank you so much Sun. And here I am worrying about you and you just shuts me out.:: He pushes against the shut bond, stubbornly inkling tendrils through the cracks and into Sunstreaker's distant awareness.

::I'm 'charging Sides. Don't bother me.:: Sunstreaker grumbles over the bond as it opens slightly in his recharge addled state.

Sideswipe just keeps prodding and poking, smiling as he feels how Sunstreaker surfaces more and more in annoyance until…

::SIDES! LEAVE ME ALONE!::

Then, ::Sideswipe?! You are…!::

Sideswipe laughs when he feels how the shock reverberates through the bond and he senses the flurry in which Sunstreaker is moving.

He hears the pounding of footsteps not long after and the door into the medbay is slammed open.

There in the doorway stands a disgruntled, deeply shocked Sunstreaker, optics impossible wide as he just stares at the red frame lazily standing in the middle of the large room.

"Sides…"

"Hiya Sunny." Sideswipe greets with a waggle of the digits on his right servo, a wide smile on his lips.

"Don't call me that!" the yellow twin scowls, but he is unable to keep the angry indifferent façade. His expression cracks into a tiny smile when Sideswipe haughtily places his servos on his hips and pouts.

"Aren't you happy to see me?" the red frontliner asks, his pout becoming even more protruding and pathetic.

"No. It has been so blessedly silent during you recovery." He replies uncaring, almost bored.

"Oh, I know you have missed me Sunshine. You just don't want to admit it." Sideswipe smirks.

"Don't call me that either!" the yellow frontliner growls, but then he just gives up on the façade and mirrors Sideswipe's smirk as he charges at his twin.

"Of course I have missed you bolt brain. No fun around without you. Even Firstaid admitted to it. They have all missed your craziness." Sunstreaker admits.

"I knew it!" Sideswipe whoops before he is slammed to the ground, an eager Sunstreaker pummeling him playfully.

Their brawling drags the monitors still connected to Sideswipe by wires and tubing down with them and loud crashes sounds when the equipment hits the floor and shatters, shrapnel flying all around the two frames as they roll around, both trying to get the upper hand in the playful fight.

The red frontliner admits defeat with spark felt laughter when Sunstreaker manages to pin him beneath his yellow frame, straddling the red hips and holding his twin down at the shoulders.

Oh, how he has missed the sound of that, Sunstreaker admits, allowing the feeling of completeness in their bond to momentarily overcome him before he releases his grip on Sideswipe and rolls to lie beside him.

"So, what has happened while I have been gone?" Sideswipe asks curiously, completely content as he lays in spread eagle on the floor among the debris from the monitors, still panting from the fighting while he soaks in the amazing feeling of being alive.

His frame is sore from some hard blows from Sunstreaker, but the pain is just telling him that this is real, that he truly is alive and did survive his encounter with the Decepticon.

That Thundercracker really did save him.

He needs to thank the seeker for that and for Sunny's life as well.

Sunstreaker stares silently up at the ceiling, thinking, and some of the feelings inside him he is sure Sideswipe are going to sense.

Where does he start?

There is a lot that has happened, and a great deal of it isn't something he wants to tell his twin already, but he knows that Sideswipe isn't going to let him alone before he has told everything he knows.

"Ratchet is back." He informs while thinking about how that fact lead to so much chaos and destruction later on. And they actually haven't seen the CMO yet, they can't know that he actually is well and healthy, but he got a feeling that Ratchet is going to come down and see them all soon.

"That is amazing!" Sideswipe exclaims, turning onto his side and stares with sparkling expectant optics at his twin, silently demanding further explanations. "I thought Firstaid wasn't able to cure him of the disease. What happened?" he adds after a brief moment of silence, eager to know.

"He isn't and he didn't. We still don't know how it happened, but Ratchet isn't laid up in the antechamber anymore. Actually we haven't seen him at all. He is with the seekers at the moment and no one has been able to see or even talk to him." He explains solemnly.

"Huh? That's weird." Sideswipe mutters, but his happiness at having the Hatchet up and moving again is impossible to kill by such facts. They will be seeing him soon, he is sure of it. Then he frowns, "Why is he staying with the seekers?" he asks.

"I don't know. We have tried to get into contact with him, but his com line is malfunctioning and we can't just walk up there. All we know is that Thundercracker broke into the medbay the other night and took Ratchet with him. Firstaid freaked out when he walked into the medbay and saw the ruined door into the antechamber, and then everyone panicked, thinking that Thundercracker had taken Ratchet to eat him." Sunstreaker scoffs.

"Duh, Thundercracker would never do something like that. I mean, he saved me right? He is on our side. Surprise, surprise, seekers do have good grace towards us, I told you it was possible." He answers, poking matter-of-factly at Sunstreaker to get his point across.

"I still don't know Sides. I want to know why he did what he did at the battle site. I tell you, the way he looked at us, at me, I was sure he would have killed you, not saved you like he did. I still don't understand it, but I am going to ask him. But yeah, so far it seems he is on our side in some wrong and wicked way. He isn't changed, is still that huge monster, but…well… I don't know." He turns his helm to stare at Sideswipe, the bond full of his contradicting feelings, most of them from the time he spent watching Thundercracker cause mayhem all over the planet, but that Sideswipe doesn't know yet, and his spark constricts at the thought of ruining his brother's good mood.

"Sideswipe, they attacked him. Unleashed all their artillery onto him when they found out Ratchet was gone. I tried to talk some sense into them, but they didn't listen, and while I went to find Prime, they went up and just attacked him." He explains further, recalling the event as he speaks and shudders at Starscreams verbal rant afterwards about how irresponsible they had been with their actions.

All those deaths around the world, all this because he hadn't been fast enough to get Optimus and stop them from pursuing revenge for a CMO who it turns out isn't even dead.

He rarely feels guilt, but in this he feels that he could have done more instead of wasting precious time trying to argue with his panicking comrades. He could have warned Optimus faster or warned Thundercracker.

"T-they attacked him?! Are they insane?" Sideswipe stutters, disbelief and fear intermingling and he rises abruptly to almost run out of the medbay.

Sunstreaker follows him to his feet and grabs hold of a red arm to stop him from leaving. He can feel how their bond is full of sudden worry and it takes a moment to realize that it isn't worry for their comrades, but for the seeker.

He almost laughs at the comical in it all.

For frag sake the seeker is almost indestructible.

"I-is he okay?" At that Sunstreaker finally gives in and just laughs at the deep concern in the red frontliner's voice.

Only Sideswipe. Only Sideswipe.

"Yes stupid. He is a seeker for frag sake Sides! Even their combined artillery only did superficial damage to him. The one to suffer damage was Starscream when he stepped into the line of fire to stop them from attacking any further." The yellow frontliner answers, and his laughter dies down fast as he speaks, the seriousness of the matter easily killing any mirth.

"They shot Star! They are insane!" Sideswipe utters incredulous, horrified at the thought of their friend suffering damage.

"They did, but they did stop after having hit him a few times. Then Skywarp appeared and Thundercracker took off. I don't know how to tell you this, but Thundercracker-…" He hesitates, looking into his brother's worried optics and feeling the hurt and anger already coming from his twin in their bond.

"He didn't kill them?" Sideswipe asks, nervously, even if he is angry at his comrades for attacking the seeker, he still worries about them. Thundercracker is powerful and not to be messed with, at least he knows that even if he is forgetting himself now and then.

Fawning over the seeker as Sunstreaker says he does.

"No, he didn't. But he took off on a rampart to burn off coding, at least that is what Starscream said. He attacked the humans Sides. For almost 15 hours he attacked them, razed their cities, downed planes and mercilessly killed them. The loss of lives are extreme, the destruction even worse. I am sorry Sideswipe, but he became the evil monster we know from the war back on Cybertron." Sunstreaker apologizes, seeing the hurt in his brother's optics as well as the tears threatening to fall as he speaks about the horror Thundercracker unleashed onto the organics on the planet.

"He wouldn't. You are lying. He can't be like that. He is on our side. Why would he do such a thing?" The first tear falls and is instantly followed by the next until tears run freely from the blue optics showing so much pain and disbelief.

"I am sorry Sideswipe, but he did and no I am not lying to you. I would never do that about something this serious. I know you like him, but in essential, he is a seeker and we know how seekers are." He tells his twin as he hugs the trembling red frame fiercely to try and offer comfort.

He isn't good at it, is usually too harsh, but in this he understands his twin's pain and combined with his own guilty feelings he for once is able to give the comfort that Sideswipe need to get through this shock.

"Star isn't like that and he is a seeker." Sideswipe stubbornly answers while he sobs.

"Star has changed Sides, it might not be too obvious, but he has." He murmurs, then he remembers something and he allows himself to smile a bit.

"He has a little seekerling now. I can't wait for you to see it. It is so cute and adorable. And so tiny." He explains hoping to lighten Sideswipe's mood.

"I won't accept it Sunny. You can say what you want. He ISN'T like that and I am going to show you that I'm right." Sideswipe protests adamantly, seemingly not even hearing what his twin is saying. He forcibly removes the arms embracing him, and before Sunstreaker manages to stop him, he is out of the medbay in a full run towards the exit.

"Frag it Sideswipe, get back here! Don't do this!" The yellow frontliner curses, sprinting after his brother.

Sideswipe is going to get himself killed.

It is impossible to know how Thundercracker is going to react if his twin just barrages up the volcano.

It is pure suicide, but he can't let his brother head into it alone and he can feel how determined Sideswipe is to confront the seeker and show how wrong his twin's perspective of the Winglord is, even if it is going to get them killed.

::You are going to get us both killed Sides!:: He protests over their bond as he runs down the corridor and to the exit, in hot pursuit of his twin.

::No!:: The word is full of all the faith Sideswipe has in Thundercracker and shows his naivety. Sunstreaker just feels like pummeling some sense into him, but to do that he needs to catch him first and Sideswipe is far ahead of him.

When he steps outside the spaceship Sideswipe is already way up along the slopes leading to the surface and the only way for him to intercept his twin is to transform and blast up the slopes in altmode. However, it is a dangerous move and it is going to destabilize the narrow road.

He doesn't want to risk hurting Sideswipe unnecessarily and just resigns to slowly move along the slopes on his feet.

Seriously, if Thundercracker doesn't kill them, he is definitely going to kill his brother for this stunt!

When he a few minutes later emerges from the crack, Sideswipe has already speed off in the direction of the road they have carved into the volcano, enabling them to easily access the top of it. Now that the seekers are residing on it, it is little used and boulders are littering the usually tidy small road.

He transforms with a growl, revving his engine angrily and speeds away, determined to at least catch up to his brother before Sideswipe begins the dangerous travel; dangerous in more than one way. The boulder strewn road is their least worry.

He keeps his sensors alert to the sky above them as he feeds his engine more fuel, aware that it is impossible for the seeker to not have heard them by now.

It is only a matter of time before an attack occurs.

The night is silent bar the sound from their engines, but Thundercracker doesn't need to engage his thrusters with how high the volcano is and can silently prepare a gliding sneak attack on them that they won't be prepared for.

Yet again he curses Sideswipe's foolish naivety.

Finally he catches up with the red frontliner at where the road up the volcano begins. Sideswipe is standing and staring up into the steep darkness of the mountain.

"Took your time." The red frontliner grins when Sunstreaker transforms.

Is it too late to pummel some sense into his brother and drag him back down?

The sound from up above answers his question.

He lifts his helm, alert to the tiny sound of rattling wings and his sensors informs him about the large frame descending rapidly towards them.

"Duck!" he yells, takes hold of Sideswipe and leads them towards a large pile of boulders.

* * *

I know, I know. I am evil with this cliffhanger. I simply just had to cut the chapter i work on into segments as it just keeps going.


	14. Chapter 14

Thundercracker lands with a resounding shake of the ground beneath him and lets loose a horrendous roar. They instinctually duck further behind the boulders when the seeker's yellow optics slowly scrutinizes its surroundings, while the olfactory sensor draws in large amounts of air, scenting for them.

::See! See! He is going to kill us. Well done Sideswipe, I hope you are happy now!:: Sunstreaker admonishes heatedly as they watch Thundercracker turn around in a controlled circle. The large wings sweeps and flickers, searching for the intruders the seeker knows are there.

It is only a matter of time before he senses them and kills them.

::But-… He can't!:: Sideswipe protests and then to Sunstreaker's horror he steps clear of the boulders, facing the seeker helm on and he can only watch as his brother with open arms move towards the Winglord.

The seeker turns on the spot, a roar emerging from the vocalizer, the force of the sound shaking the whole area. Sunstreaker ducks further when reverberating sound crumbles the rocks surrounding his hideout and sends debris raining down on him.

Blazing yellow optics shines hellishly in the darkness as they zeros in on the seeker's prey.

"Hey there Thundercracker." Sideswipe speaks up, unfazed by the threatening roar.

The seeker's large blue wings flickers at the sound of the frontliner's voice and the Winglord crouches into attack position, the wings menacingly spreading wider and higher on the seeker's back in an obvious threat to back off.

But Sideswipe just takes a step closer to the seeker and Sunstreaker feels like shooting his brother then and there.

Thundercracker responds with a threatening snarl and a rattling flare of the wings that spreads them to their full wingspan. It is an impressive sight, and Sunstreaker would have loved to relish in the sight if not for the dire situation Sideswipe has put them in.

"You don't want to hurt me." Sideswipe just continues to speak as he takes one more step towards the seeker; completely disregarding the danger he puts himself in.

Thundercracker narrows his optics and releases a continuous growl slowly growing in volume, while his lips quivers and shows his menacing fangs.

Anyone sane would take the display as it is and carefully back down, but not Sideswipe, he is so confident in his trust in the seeker that he ignores the countless warnings and steps closer, his arms still spread wide as if offering himself up to the seeker.

::Don't do this Sideswipe, for frag sake, he is about to attack. Back down!:: Sunstreaker roars, hiding his rising panic behind his anger. Tears press on behind his optics as he stares at the seeker and how it begins to flex its claws.

Completely disregarding Sunstreaker's plea Sideswipe takes one step closer to the seeker and is now within reach of the deadly claws, should Thundercracker strike.

"I know you won't hurt me. You saved me. You are the good guy. I trust you." Sideswipe's voice is as calm as ever, the seeker's display not even causing him to waiver the least in his faith.

And then the impossible happens.

With the next step from Sideswipe, Thundercracker takes one back, staring confused at the red grounder as Sideswipe, despite his threatening display, completely fearless faces off against him. The growl silences and the Winglord straightens, his height towering above Sideswipe as the frontliner takes the last steps separating them and leans in against the powerful frame, resting his helm against the large cockpit.

It's…

It's complete insanity.

Once again Sunstreaker doesn't know what to believe.

Thundercracker keeps surprising him. By all right, Sideswipe should be dead now, but he isn't.

::I told you he isn't going to hurt us.:: Sideswipe sounds confident and the yellow frontliner just stares as Thundercracker lowers his wings, all aggression bleeding from the frame, and stares bemused down at the grounder almost hugging him around the waist.

::He can still turn violent.:: He reminds his red twin, but as he speaks he carefully steps free of the boulders and draws Thundercracker's attention.

He stares into the yellow optics for only a few seconds, but it feels like a lifetime and his spark pulses fearfully until Thundercracker cants his helm in what only can be described as curiosity.

"Come on Sunny. You have to feel him." Sideswipe encourages from where he is caressing his servos along the blue plating.

"You are insane Sideswipe." He answers, but steps closer nevertheless.

He watches the seeker closely with every careful step he takes closer, prepared to step back at any threat from the seeker, but nothing of the sort happens and before he knows it he is so close to the large frame that he just needs to reach forward with a servo to touch the plating.

He stares incredulously up into the yellow optics, swallowing hard when Thundercracker mercilessly fixates his gaze.

Most of the fire previously in them is gone, replaced with a bemused curiosity that eases the growing fear in his spark.

If the seeker is curious, then it isn't going to attack, right?

Gathering his courage he reaches a trembling servo forward and breaks the optics contact with the seeker when he feels the scorching plating beneath his digits.

Is he really doing this?

He stares incredulous at his own servo touching the seeker.

He moves it slowly, feeling the smooth plating and the humming of systems beneath it. The thrumming coming from the large frame this close speaks volume about the power this seeker possesses and for a moment he is awestruck that he is allowed to feel this.

"Lean in." Sideswipe murmurs beside him and he turns his helm to look at how Sideswipe almost is trying to melt into the seeker. "Do it Sunny. He feels so nice. You have to feel it. It is amazing." The red twin encourages eagerly.

He must be insane!

Thundercracker has yet to move one inch from where he is standing and Sunstreaker wonders what the seeker mustn't be thinking about them.

Definitely insane.

But he leans in, and he almost offlines his optics at the sensations filling his whole frame.

Oh!

A small sigh escapes him as he unconsciously mirrors the way Sideswipe tries to melt into the seeker.

This…

This is like the home they never got because of the war.

They remember very little from the time before Starscream found them and what they do remember is full of pain and hurt because of the war and the loss of their creators.

But the sensations filling him from the Winglord is so soothing, so calming, so warming, so addicting. It is like coming home.

He never wants to let go.

But he has to.

Reluctantly he moves away from the frame, almost stumbling and it is first then he realizes that he is crying, tears running down his cheeks in a rapid stream.

Incredulous he touches a digit to his cheek and the sight of the wetness on it when he draws it away opens the floodgate completely. Mourning everything he has lost and the sparkling hood they never really got he collapses to the ground and sobs shamelessly in front of his brother and the seeker.

He feels cold into his spark, the aura of the seeker releasing its comforting grip on it and he just cries louder, all the horrors of their lives returning in force. For once he lets lose all the feelings that he usually doesn't allow anyone to see, not even his brother.

It all gangs up on him in that very instant, and Sideswipe and Thundercracker is completely forgotten as he drowns in misery and the deep feeling of loss.

Thundercracker chirrs bemused at the sight of the crying grounder.

A gentle push from within his essence and the next moment he is gently pushing Sideswipe aside before he kneels in front of Sunstreaker. The large blue wings moves, shields the crying yellow twin in a comforting embrace while a large claw reaches forward and impossibly gently draws away a running tear.

Sunstreaker hitches at the touch to his cheek and freezes, the tears are still trailing down his cheeks, but his frame is completely frozen in any movement, the shock of the touch paralyzing him.

He watches the seeker study the claw curiously before the optics refocuses and he has never seen such depth in a seeker's optics before beside Starscream's.

It verifies and reassures him that despite the violence committed by the seeker earlier, Thundercracker is still the same and it further tells him that even if the Winglord is the nightmare of any Autobot and Decepticon, he isn't as cold, ruthless and evil as they all believe.

This new insight fills him with a strange sense of calm and he stares unafraid into the optics as Thundercracker clearly studies him.

Then the moment is shattered by Sideswipe's awestruck voice:

"Ho-ly Primus Sunny. I think he is trying to sooth you."

And the utter insanity of the situation once again catches up with him, the feeling of loss returns and forces a tortured sound from his vocalizer before he breaks down completely.

Thundercracker's chirr of distress drowns in the sound of the yellow frontliner's crying and Sideswipe is struck silent with shock at the sound of his twin breaking down like this.

He has never before experienced Sunstreaker broken like this.

"Sunny, what is wrong?" Sideswipe moves around the seeker to be able to see his brother from the tiny angle where the blue wings aren't able to shield Sunstreaker completely. But just as he gazes between them Thundercracker rises, carrying Sunstreaker in a protective embrace and without a glance to the red twin, the seeker takes off.

He is left to look as the seeker leaves with his brother, no chance to protest or complain. Soon the seeker is completely out of view, vanishing into the darkness of the night sky, the faint glow from the thrusters the only indication that the seeker is up there.

The gentle touch of the wind to his plating as the seeker carries him into the sky slowly drags Sunstreaker out of his misery. The feeling of the seeker's thrusters working to keep them airborne and the thrumming of the systems supporting them in the seeker's flight is a strange feeling.

He can feel the minute changes the seeker make and it awakens a thrill in his spark.

He is familiar with the sky, playing around with Sideswipe and using his parachute to defy death when he falls towards the ground from high above. But the feeling the seeker's flight instills in him is deeper and more intense.

It is the feeling of true freedom.

Then some of the giddiness fades and he looks up at the seeker and meets the yellow optics, unsure about what Thundercracker is planning to do to him. What he sees in them reassures him, the same does the soothing aura from the seeker.

No matter how crazy it seems, he feels safe and secure in the clutches of the large predator as Thundercracker soars higher and higher into the sky.

He relaxes in the strict but yet gentle hold on him and stares with a content sigh up into the night sky and the millions of stars visible.

He can get used to this.

The trip feels too short when Thundercracker lands atop the volcano a few minutes later and he is not ready to let go of the soothing presence the Winglord exudes, so when the blue seeker kneels and releases the constricting hold on him, he clings stubbornly to the dangerous claws releasing him.

A soft coaxing tune from Thundercracker has him just shaking his helm fiercely and he snuggles firmly into the blue frame at his back.

He doesn't care that he is being completely ridiculous, he don't want to leave the feelings the seeker creates inside him at its close presence.

"Sunstreaker, you need to let him go." Starscream scolds with a smile in his voice as the tricolored seeker moves in front of Thundercracker.

"Sunstreaker?" Another presence moves into his line of sight, and he lifts his helm at the sound of Ratchet's unsure voice.

He has to offline and online his optics to be sure that what he sees is true.

Ratchet has wings.

What the frag?

In his shock at seeing the fanning wings on Ratchet's back he lessens his grip on Thundercracker and the Winglord brushes his digits away before he lowers him to stand on the ground.

With a series of chirrs, trills and intonations Thundercracker launches into the air again and blasts away.

"Thundercracker is bringing Sideswipe up to us Sunstreaker. Now, can you tell me why you are out here risking your lives?" Starscream asks, his arms crossed over his cockpit and a stern look in his optics.

"I tried to stop him, but he didn't want to listen to me. In all his naivety he believes that Thundercracker is on our side and that he won't hurt him. I am sorry Starscream. I couldn't stop him before Thundercracker already had descended upon us." He apologizes and Starscream eases on his expression as Sunstreaker explains.

"Well, at least it is good to have him back. You are lucky that Thundercracker didn't go through with his intentions. This is the second night he has a disturbed recharge cycle. It can make him a bit cranky and rash." Starscream chuckles good-naturedly.

"So, this is why we haven't seen you yet Ratchet?" Sunstreaker asks bemused, unable to not stare at the wings. Granted, not as large as Starscreams or Thundercrackers but they are there and they are impossible to ignore.

The medic laughs nervously and the wings on his back twitch.

"Mostly, but it is mainly because I now have a Winglord to ask permission from." Ratchet explains, gesturing into the darkness of the night to where they can hear the sound of Thundercracker's thrusters.

"And," he adds more hesitantly, his wings lowering sadly on his back, mirroring his internal feelings, "I fear how the others are going to react to this. It isn't just the wings Sunstreaker. My internals has changed as well. When-… When Thundercracker came to me something happened. And-… I am carrying. I am going to have a creation of my own, born from my own frame, mixed with Thundercracker's coding."

He bites his lower lip as he waits for the yellow twin's reaction, afraid to be rejected. To be singled out as a complete freak.

"You are going to have a young, just like Starscreams?" Sunstreaker turns surprised to the tricolored seeker, and Starscream nods with a little smile before he withdraws his seekerling from the cockpit.

"They all look like this during their first four vorns. Over time they gain color and their plating hardens and turns into some of the densest armor on Cybertron. Some is turning into dominants like Thundercracker, others into submissives like me and Ratchet. A few become what Skywarp is, a mix of coding." Starscream explains as he gently nuzzles the wriggling seekerling who chirps happily at the playfulness of its carrier.

"Can I hold it Star?" Sunstreaker asks, the sight of the seekerling distracting him from the peculiarity Ratchet has become. In the darkness the spark shining in its center is even more visible and the tiny pulsing just marvels him.

Starscream looks distractedly into the distance for a short moment and nods into the darkness at the approaching sound of thrusters before he turns his attention back onto the yellow frontliner again.

"Yes, and just so you know, Thundercracker has given his consent as well. Here, reach your servos forward and make sure to keep a good hold on it. It needs to feed soon so don't panic if it begins to cry or complain loudly. This entire ruckus is keeping it all too aware and lively." Starscream answers, lowering the seekerling into Sunstreaker's servos and he instantly folds them gently around it to prevent it from escaping.

As he watch Sunstreaker marvel over the wonder of the seekerling, Ratchet is relieved that among the Autobots, it is the twins who has discovered the truth about his situation as the first ones.

He still doesn't know how he is going to face his comrades, but Sideswipe and Sunstreaker is some of the least prejudicially among the Autobots due to their closeness with Starscream from the moment they were found during the war.

The two troublemakers are more relaxed about a lot of things and it makes them unique in their own special way among a crew filled with prejudice and grudges.

And because of that, the thought of having them by his side, ON his side, when he meets the rest of the Autobots fills him with a reassurance neither Starscream nor Thundercracker can provide him in that very moment of confrontation.

Hearing Sideswipe's loud whooping as Thundercracker moves closer to the precipice just strengthens his belief in the two frontliners and he chuckles at the clear delight the red twin finds in having Thundercracker act as taxi.

There is simply nothing that can throw them off, not the fact that he is changing, or that he is carrying. They might ask questions, but they won't reject him because of this.

He begins to shake lightly with the rush of emotions running free inside him and he just hugs Sunstreaker the next moment, overcome by all the stress.

"You don't know how good it is to see you. Thundercracker might not be ecstatic, but I am so happy that you are here. I desperately need some support. Starscream is a source of strength in all this, the same is Thundercracker and Skywarp, but you and I both know how some of our comrades are going to react to this new me. " He murmurs while trying to keep the tears at bay.

"We will have your back Ratchet. Always. Don't worry." Sunstreaker reassures adamantly and he leans into and reciprocates the hug as much as he can with the seekerling in his servos.

"I know. And it eases my worry for the future to have you and Sideswipe with me in this." Ratchet smiles, sniffing when he isn't able to hold back the tears anymore and silently cries, mostly in relief and happiness.

"Sideswipe is going to love your new look Ratchet. He is going to be so overjoyed." Sunstreaker grins, breaking the hug and securing his hold on the slippery seekerling before it manages to wriggle between his digits.

Thundercracker chooses this moment to land and whatever Ratchet had been about to say drowns in Sideswipe's exuberant exclamations when the red frontliner jumps down from the seeker even before Thundercracker has managed to kneel and ease his way down.

"Thanks TC!"

"Sunny, isn't it just amazing!"

"Hi STAR!"

"Heya Skywarp!"

Then he freezes, staring with open mouth at Ratchet and the flickering wings.


	15. Chapter 15

"Hello Sideswipe." Ratchet chuckles, fighting valiantly to not outright laugh at the comic display of the red twin as Sideswipe clearly ogles the red and white wings on his back.

The blatant stare clearly doesn't please Thundercracker and Sideswipe yelps in surprise when the large blue seeker with a snarl rather forcefully stomps in-between him and Ratchet and lowers its upper frame slightly to glare menacingly down at him. Suddenly the seeker doesn't feel so welcoming and he shies a few small steps back.

::Uh, Sunny…:: He nervously prods his brother while staring into the Winglords hard and merciless yellow optics. His spark pulses faster and inklings of fear seeps into it.

::No Sideswipe, you are on your own in this. And don't call me that!:: Sunstreaker replies, keeping his humor at the situation out of the bond. Maybe Sideswipe is finally going to realize how unpredictable the seekers are.

This change in the seeker doesn't surprise him the least.

The Winglord might have been lenient towards them, but that doesn't mean Thundercracker actually is on their side. What his brother doesn't seem to understand is that they are different species, and the leading seeker is first and foremost protecting his kin.

The war between the Autobots and Decepticons doesn't matter to Thundercracker at all. They are no more than prey to the Winglord, and only Starscream keeps Thundercracker from outright killing them.

Sideswipe doesn't dare take his optics off of the seeker and as he stares Thundercracker's lips parts and reveals the long rows of dentas designed to crush his plating. He gulps nervously at the sight, but it is the long sharp fangs this close that speeds up his spark pulse in true fear.

"I know you aren't going to hurt me." He stubbornly confronts the seeker with the very last vestiges of trust, even as his spark pulses with frantic fear.

Thundercracker clearly doesn't like the sound of that statement, and Sideswipe's processor screams at him to run, to flee the seeker when the Winglord narrows the yellow optics condescendingly. The red frontliner shies a few more steps back when the seeker leans even further down, its face now almost level with his own and the yellow optics clearly shows how little the seeker thinks of him.

::Sunny!:: He pleads franticly, panicking when the fangs just comes closer and closer. The seeker's face is now so close to him, that its breath blows hotly across his facial plating, while the optics keeps him fixated.

::Where have your faith in him vanished off to Sideswipe?:: Sunstreaker asks bored, staring at the display of his brother cowering before the Winglord. He is so focused on the display that he doesn't hear the beginning complains from the seekerling in his servos.

He should be alarmed about the development between his brother and the seeker, but Starscream flickers his wings in a way he recognizes and knows intimately.

The tricolored seeker is silently laughing.

There is an joke somewhere out there and the fact that Starscream isn't in front of Thundercracker and protecting Sideswipe tells him that whatever the Winglord is going to do isn't going to hurt his brother too much, or at all.

When Thundercracker attacks, Sideswipe surprisingly manages to dodge it and tumbles onto the ground in a defensive roll. He scrambles franticly to turn around and stares with wide optics at the Winglord. The seeker hasn't moved to intercept and attack him further and is just staring at him with a strange glint in the yellow optics.

He stares in confusion as Thundercracker releases a grunted gust of air and straightens again. The wings rattles and he isn't sure what he is to lay into the emotions filling the seeker's optics.

Is the Winglord laughing at him?

"Do I have to tell you that if Thundercracker had really wanted to hurt you, then you would have been a helm shorter now?" Starscream asks while he caresses a large blue wing and gives the dominant a tantalizing show of swaying hips and flickering wings as he passes Thundercracker and stops to stand over the panicked red frontliner, a wide mirthful smile on his lips.

::Seriously Sideswipe, you panic at a display like this, but are fearless when he is obvious in his intent to kill?:: Sunstreaker snorts disdainful.

::Shut up Sunshine! Weren't you he was threatening.:: Sideswipe grumbles as he takes the servo Starscream offers to help him up.

::No, it wasn't, because I am the sane one among the two of us. I KNOW to not antagonize a seeker and I know how unpredictable they are in their behavior. AND, if you had paid attention you would have seen that the most obvious indications of an attacking seeker were missing in his display. You would have known that he simply just played around with you.:: He explains matter-of-factly, grinning at his brother's pathetic display when Starscream helps him up.

"I hope you have learned your lesson Sideswipe. Never antagonize him. As I told Sunstreaker, you are both lucky that he didn't go through with his intentions down there, or all my hard work trying to save you and his effort to bring you back here from the battle site would have been in vain." Starscream scolds seriously.

"That being said, it is good to see you. Did Firstaid make a complete scan before he released you?" The seeker asks, glancing worriedly at the healed plating covering his hard work.

Sideswipe brushes some dirt off of his frame before he sheepishly looks at Starscream, his intelligent reply an unsure "Uh…"

"Sideswipe…!" Starscream growls, optics narrowing as he glares at the red frontliner, wings flared high in passive aggression.

"Did he scan you before he released you from the medbay?" the seeker asks again.

"Uh, no…" The red twin answers while he fidgets at the sight of Starscream's intense stare. He is unable to keep the optics contact and looks away with a slight blush to his faceplates.

"Does anyone even know that you are out here? That you are awake?" Starscream asks suspiciously, glancing nervously towards Thundercracker.

They really don't need a repeat of the previous day. Not that he think that the Autobots is going to be foolish enough to attack Thundercracker again.

"No." Sideswipe answers.

It takes everyone by surprise when Starscream in anger restricts Sideswipe around the neck and lifts him from the ground, lips parted as he hisses.

"No one knows where you are?!" the seeker demands to know.

"No." Sideswipe splutters, his servos trying to get Starscream to release him while he stares in shock and fear at his friend, his usually calm and collected friend. There is no sign of the old Starscream in the tricolored seeker right now.

"Calm down Starscream and release him. This doesn't solve anything." Ratchet breaks in to prevent any further damage to Sideswipe.

The tricolored seeker releases the frontliner with a snarl and Sideswipe dumbs forcefully to the ground.

"Star, I am sorry. I didn't think. I just wanted to… I am sorry, okay?!" Sideswipe apologizes, scurrying a bit away from the irate seeker when Starscream turns fiery optics onto him.

"Do you have any idea what you have done Sideswipe?!" Starscream lashes out in anger at the cowering frontliner.

"Starscream! I told you to calm down!" Ratchet admonishes, walking up to his irate creation, Sunstreaker following. "Your seekerling need your attention, and we are still early in the night. No one is going to discover that Sideswipe is missing for several cycles. Relax and take care of your creation." The medic points out, while gesturing towards Sunstreaker who fights with a seekerling that complains more and louder with every minute.

Starscream visibly deflates, and he walks to the yellow frontliner and takes hold on his creation, offering a feeding line to it before he walks to where Skywarp lazily is watching them. Thundercracker follows him and he settles down beside his black and purple mate while Thundercracker sits down and guards them, casting glances towards Ratchet and the twins now and then.

Ratchet settles down beside Sideswipe and gestures for Sunstreaker to follow him.

"Shoot." He tells them.

"I'm sorry Ratchet. I didn't mean to mess things up like this." Sideswipe apologizes, subdued.

"It is okay Sideswipe. I guess it is about time that I come down and confronts the others anyway. Now, I am sure you have questions and I would like to answer them while we have a moment's peace. I am going to need your support when I face the others." Ratchet explains, patting Sideswipe comfortingly on his shoulder.

"We will have your back Ratchet. Anyone being stupid gets a fist to their faces if they can't see that you are still you!" Sunstreaker growls and his brother's fierce spirit seem to lighten Sideswipe's mood a bit.

Soon the red frontliner is back to his usual self and is eagerly asking questions. Naturally most of the curiosity from the twins is centered on his physical appearance and the changes happening. Some of the questions take even Ratchet by surprise, and he realizes how thoroughly his life actually is changing. Sure he still has wheels, but he definitely isn't going to try and transform into his altmode. He doesn't know if he even has one at this point.

It raises some new questions about his future look.

How much is this change going to affect his physical appearance beyond turning him into a seeker? Is he going to grow from his current 26 meters and into Starscreams 35meters? How large are his wings going to be? When will he be able to transform, what is he going to look like in his new altmode and how will the feeling of flight be?

What will his profession in the society be?

He doesn't want to think too much on it, but the facts are glaringly obvious.

Whatever it is that works to change him, it is doing it thoroughly. It isn't too obvious yet, but the evidence is there if he dare acknowledge it. His medical coding is slowly being demolished, his internal medical tools, the ability to perform scans and diagnostics either refuses to obey him, or aborts midway.

He doesn't have a chance to monitor the changes he knows is happening inside him. Any attempt to uncover the mystery is rendered impossible when he tries to run deeper diagnostics, the ones only medics are in possession of, the ones able to reveal his coding down to the smallest strings, the ones able to rewrite and undo the changes.

He isn't allowed access to those parts of his coding while the changes delete more and more of who he is and adds new strings of coding to fill out the empty gapes; the coding that is changing him into the seeker he is to become when the work is completed.

Something tells him that he is going to be a clean slate when the work on him is done, ready to be molded, but into what?

They know nothing about how the seeker society works.

But, even if the changes and his own powerlessness as they happen is greatly unsettling, it is at the moment his smaller height that creates most unease, especially when Thundercracker demands his attention.

The Winglord is almost double his size and intimidating that way, and even if he instinctually know that Thundercracker isn't going to hurt him, it still frightens him, especially when the large dominant, like earlier in the evening when he had fed the seeker, had rested its frame on top of him, clearly wanting some intimacy.

So, even if he dreads the pain it possibly is going to be, he hope that he is going to go through a growth phase that at least adds some more to his height, so that interactions with his new people isn't going to be this fearful.

"Ratchet?" Sunstreaker's question draws him from his thoughts.

"Sorry, just got caught up in some thoughts." He smiles and then returns to answer their questions.

The sound of movement coming closer stops him midway an answer to a question about why his wings aren't moving as fluidly as for example Starscreams, and Sideswipe and Sunstreaker turns to watch as Thundercracker walks towards their little group.

They share a nervous glance, but Ratchet remains calm. He knows why the dominant is coming over.

He looks up at the blue seeker when Thundercracker trills a small tune to him.

The blue wings perks at the attention from the submissive and Ratchet smiles, but responds with a firm shake of his helm followed up by a soothing improvised coo he hope is enough to tell Thundercracker that he is content with where he is right now, and that he is happy that the seeker is there.

The blue wings droop at the response and Thundercracker looks longingly towards where Skywarp and Starscream are snuggling into each other.

The seekerling is recharging and his mates are settling to get some more recharge themselves. Then he turns his attention back to Ratchet and tries again, fluttering his wings enticingly as if trying to coax his new seeker to come with him over to his mates to recharge.

Ratchet shakes his helm again; well aware of the conflict his action creates in the dominant.

Protect his mates?

Protect Ratchet?

It is impossible for the dominant to choose and with Ratchet as the most vulnerable of the three submissives there is really no other choice but to stay awake and guard them all.

He stares with another longing look at his recharging mates before he with dejectedly lowered wings settles a distance away from Ratchet and the twins, silently watching.

Ratchet feels incredibly guilty as he stares at the dominant's saddened display.

He knows that because of his refusal Thundercracker isn't going to get any recharge the rest of the night.

He isn't aware that his own wings mirrors Thundercracker's dejectedly lowered ones, and Sunstreaker gently pokes him to get his attention.

"Go to him. You clearly need his presence as much as he obviously need your." The yellow frontliner tells him, gesturing towards the seeker.

"Are you sure?" Ratchet hesitates, glancing from one twin to the other.

"Yes. Don't think about us, we can manage." Sideswipe nods, staring past Ratchet at the seeker's saddened display. It is so wrong to have the large predator look like a kicked turbo-puppy. He can't believe that it is the same seeker who only a few cycles ago pulled off the threatening display at the bottom of the volcano and later threatened and 'attacked' him after it brought him up here.

Ratchet stares one more time between the twins before he rises and walks towards where Thundercracker is sitting.

The seeker's yellow optics follows him intensely as he walks closer and the wings perks with every step he takes. When he finally kneels in front of Thundercracker, the wings are held high on the seeker's back, and he can hear how the seeker purrs.

He looks up and drowns in the yellow optics. After a while, realizing what he is doing, he looks away and lowers his helm in submission. But he can't forget the deep care so visible in them and it warms his spark. This is where he belongs now, whether he likes it or not, and as long as he is carrying the Winglords newspark he has a strong and fierce protector.

He has a dreading feeling that he is going to need it when they return home, back to Cybertron. His spark swells with the longing to return to his home planet, an endeavor impossible as long as he was a ground bound. Cybertron belongs to the seekers; even if the Autobots manages to win the war against the Decepticons, they can't return.

The few times some of them have taken the trip through the spacebridge it has been clear to them all that there is nothing for them to return to. Their golden society is in ruins and with the seekers ruling the skies all over the planet, instilling fear and preying on the unfortunate unable to find shelter in time, it is impossible to rebuild.

Cybertron is forever lost to them, and Earth has become their only chance for survival, but only if they manage to stop the Decepticons from taking over the planet.

They need to accept that they are a dying race, there is no way for the Autobots to repopulate, which makes his own situation so much more peculiar. The warmth from the life he is carrying beside his own spark means the world to him. That and to be able to return to Cybertron again.

The sound of hydraulics draws him from his thoughts and to the present. A claw gently lifts his helm and he looks up, forced to meet the seeker's optics again. Thundercracker has leaned forward and their faces are so close. He can feel the seeker's breath caress his cheeks and then the seeker leans in closer.

With a content purr Thundercracker connects their forehelms and stares deeply into Ratchet's optics for a long while, the yellow optics captivating the medic with their deep emotions, before he breaks the optics contact and diverts his attention downward. Then he breaks their facial contact completely, only to lean in even closer.

Ratchet startles at the first barely there touch to his lips, optics widening.

The next touch lingers for just a klik longer before Thundercracker retreats.

The third is a true kiss, gentle, almost hesitant.

He shivers at the touch.

He has never done this before. Kissing is something humans do, not cybertronians, or at least he didn't think they did.

Thundercracker clearly likes his reaction, because the seeker keeps kissing him, each one deeper, more confident than the one before until the kisses are so forceful that he can feel the fangs hidden behind the seeker's closed lips.

It takes a while before he recovers enough to begin to reciprocate and the movement of his lips against the seeker's feels clumsy and insecure. It is obvious that even if Thundercracker began this hesitantly, the seeker is used to this and it makes Ratchet wonder if this is common among the seekers.

He can definitely relate to the pleasure the act creates in his frame. Each touch feeds a growing fire in his spark and his processor spins with the flood of feelings flowing through his frame from the touch to his lips.

When the seeker's glossa presses insistently against his lips, he just parts them willingly and allows the seeker to conquer him.

The explosion of exotic tastes when the glossa plunders his mouth and sets off numerous chemoreceptors with the seeker's strange and foreign taste – which is so uniquely Thundercracker with its extreme tangy power wrapped in confident sweetness – almost causes his processor to frits.

His optics offlines and he succumbs to all the sensations the kisses awakens in his frame.

The fire in his spark creates a burning feeling in his valve and he feels how liquid heat pools behind his valve cover. The feeling is growing with every touch of the seeker's lips and glossa and once again he feels how he is reaching a breaking point where something has to give.

He is only distantly aware of touches to his wings and the claws supporting his frame between them, but he doesn't feel it when Thundercracker manipulates him to lie down onto his back. It is first when the seeker's glossa retreats from his mouth and he onlines his optics that he realizes that the Winglord is kneeling over him.

He should be frightened, but he isn't.

He shouldn't want this, but he does.

The sight of the burning inferno in the yellow optics rattles him to his spark and sears him with its intense heat.

"Thundercracker." He whispers shakily, unable to look away from the seeker's intense optics.

The seeker is the one to break their optics contact, lifting its gaze to survey the surroundings and Ratchet senses that there is something he has forgotten in the maddening wash of lust and arousal. However, he isn't allowed much time to linger on that nagging feeling in the back of his processor when Thundercracker returns his attention to him and the sound of the seeker's spike cover releasing is heard.

It is hard to see anything in the darkness of the night and the only evidence that the seeker's spike has extended is when Thundercracker lowers to rest his frame on top of him. His legs are spread widely apart when the seeker fits itself perfectly in-between them and he feels the seeker's thickness rub almost insistently against his inner thigh.

The Winglords well maintained engine rumbles and rattles him as the seeker ruts its large and heavy frame onto his, the slide of plating against plating slow and agonizing, coaxing. Each slide ends with the spike bumping against his closed valve cover and each time it touches, he feels a jolt of pleasure zing through his frame.

Thundercracker is patient, the rutting never leaving its gentle slow coaxing and it brings him closer to the edge and breaking with each gentle movement and zing of pleasure. When he finally breaks and the cover releases, the spike is ready at the entrance and with a pleased rumble the seeker sheaths itself inside him.

A long drawn out moan is wrought from his vocalizer as the slow slide of the spike triggers sensor node after sensor node, ending in an intense groan when the seeker is sheathed completely inside him. The spike's pressure on the nodes along his valve triggers continued waves of pleasure keeping him hostage in the seeker's sensual domination of his being.

One thrust, slow and forceful, and he is careening over another edge and into an all-consuming overload. He vaguely hears Thundercracker hiss and the spike remains unmoving inside him as his valve clamps possessively down on it, the maddening ripples caressing it like a long lost lover it never wants to let go on again.

From then on there is no longer any gentleness left in the Winglord and Ratchet can only cling to the large frame while the seeker takes him with force. Any sort of coherency is gone in the continued wash of arousal and pleasure ruling his whole being and it is first when he hears the seeker roar in pleasured release that he realizes that he is careening towards yet another edge. The rush of hot transfluids finally breaks him over the edge and he screams in his second overload, his valve eagerly drinking in the coding the seeker releases into him.

Warnings alert him to threatening overheating and he simply ignores them. There is nothing he can do about them anyway and he suspects that they are related to his new physical configurations. He isn't designed to produce and handle the heat this pleasure creates in his frame and to have a scorching seeker on top of him isn't helping to lower the dangerous rise of heat either.

He sighs deeply and relaxes into the ground beneath him, spent and with a feeling of content completeness filling his spark. The angst that lingered from his first mating with the Winglord is only a distant memory and to have Thundercracker breathe heavily, while still resting on top of him, expelling excess heat, adds a feeling of rightness to this experience.

He feels the spike retract from his valve and a moment later his cover closes, sealing the seeker's transfluids inside him. There is no warmth this time, just a feeling of satisfaction and contentment. Then Thundercracker rolls them and he ends up resting on top of the dominant, looking down in optics mirroring his own content feelings. The seeker coos happily to him and he smiles in response, dipping his helm to kiss the seeker's lips affectionately.

"I think I could fall in love with you, if you didn't already belong to someone." He murmurs and then blushes in embarrassment at the fact that he even dare sat such words. It must be his overheating processor messing with him and flustered he rests his helm against Thundercracker's shoulder and looks out into the darkness of their surroundings.

At least the seeker doesn't understand what he said.

It is then he realizes that there is optics looking back at him from the darkness and in horror he remembers something.

The Twins!

Oh Primus, he is never going to live this down.

He turns his helm with a suffering groan and hides his face against the seeker's plating.

If only he could just stay here forever without needing to face them, but he can't. There are only a few cycles before the sun begins to rise and by then they need to be down inside the medbay.

Something else he doesn't look forward to, but can't stall any longer.

What is Prime going to say when he sees him?

And what about all the others?

The ones he truly dreads facing is Ironhide and Prowl, but the worst part is when Hound sees him like this. What is the tracker going to think about all this?

The sound of Sideswipe's distant laughter eases his growing worry. He isn't going to face them alone he remembers, and with determination he rises to get this over with. He needs to get this awkwardness out of his systems.

Thundercracker grabs him lightly around the waist when he stands and he turns to lean down and kiss the seeker. It is strange how it feels so natural now.

"I'm not going far. I just need to talk to them." He explains calmly, gesturing towards the two frontliners. The seeker follows his gesture and then rises. Ratchet sighs in exasperation when Thundercracker follows him as he walks over to the twins.

It would be so much easier if he was able to speak their language, but that seems to be something a bit further into the future apparently.


	16. Chapter 16

Confrontation between Ratchet and the Autobots and further development. Had to cut this chapter somewhere since it is reaching more than 10k words, and i hope the ending of this chapter isn't too evil. It was hard for me to really find a spot where I could break it up without too much trouble.

* * *

Ratchet looks nervously at the comline innocently placed beside the door into the medbay. With a last glance back at the seekers and the twins, noticing Sunstreaker nod with a serious scowl, he pushes the button to activate it.

"Everyone to the medbay!" His voice blares all over the spaceship, then he cuts the communication and moves back to the strange group of three seekers and two frontliners ready to protect and defend him.

This is the moment of truth.

It doesn't take long before movement is heard and Thundercracker takes a step forward to shield him completely behind the seeker's larger frame at the sound of the door opening.

"It is going to be okay." Sideswipe reassures before he steps forward to greet their arriving comrades with a blinding mischievous smile.

"Sideswipe." Several voices murmurs confused, and Ratchet can imagine their surprise as they look around for him, having expected it to be him to greet them and not the frontliner.

"Aren't you happy to see me?!" The red frontliner's smile morphs into a pout.

"Of course we are Sideswipe. It is good to see you up." The Prime answers as he enters the medbay, having heard the dejected question from the frontliner.

Then he sees Thundercracker standing off to a side of the medbay with Starscream and Skywarp flanking him on each side. The Winglord stares intensely at him and the wings rises slightly when their optics meets.

There isn't any true hostility in the yellow optics, but it is clear that the large seeker scrutinizes him critically, leader to leader, and clearly finds him lacking. It puzzles him greatly to suddenly be the target of such scrutiny from the leading seeker and it makes him wonder what is causing all this. They haven't even heard the seekers enter. Why here, why now?

When he breaks the optics contact and looks around he realizes something. He can't see Sunstreaker anywhere. If Sideswipe is up, it is impossible for the yellow frontliner to not be here. The two troublemakers are together in everything.

"Sideswipe, where is your brother? And didn't I hear Ratchet's voice over the comline?" he asks bemused as he looks around to locate the CMO without any luck.

"Over here Prime." Sunstreaker replies and with a gentle pat to Ratchet's back he steps clear of the seekers and into view.

"Where is Ratchet?" Hound and Firstaid demands to know, speaking in union and the twins shares a grin.

"Oh, he is here." Sideswipe smirks.

"And we are here to make sure that you all behave!" Sunstreaker growls when he walks to stand in a united front with Sideswipe between the Autobots and the three seekers and Ratchet. He crosses his arms and glares heatedly at every single one of his comrades, even the Prime.

"Thundercracker?" Sideswipe inquires smugly, and Ratchet just wants to cling to the dominants back when Starscream trills something and the blue seeker reluctantly moves to reveal him.

Primus, this is it.

The silence that follows Thundercracker's movement is deafening on his audios and his spark pulses franticly in its chamber. Then the silence is broken by shocked gasps, and the disbelieving sound from his comrades is suffocating and puts an immense straining pressure on his spark.

He doesn't dare look up and meet their optics.

What is he going to see in them?

Disbelief?

Suspicion?

Hate?

Rejection?

It is the last that is going to break him the most.

What if they reject him?

What if they don't want him anymore?

What if…

His train of thoughts is abruptly stopped at the feeling of the large frame leaning in against his back. His wings perk up from their saddened display at the clear support and he looks up to see Thundercracker calmly look down at him with passionate yellow optics.

They remind him that even if he is rejected by his comrades, he still has a home.

He belongs to the Winglord now, belongs among the seekers and this meeting isn't going to cause his life to come crashing down on him if his comrades can't see past his new outer self.

"Ratchet?" Firstaid's unsure voice draws his attention and he looks away from Thundercracker's captivating optics. To his relief there are no judging emotions in the younger medic's tone of voice and his spark flutters with hope as he meets Firstaid's optics.

"Yes Firstaid. It is me." He answers with a little smile. There is nothing but curiosity in the medic's optics and the pressure on his spark seems to ease just a bit at that fact.

They aren't going to reject him.

"But, Ratchet, you got wings!" Hound exclaims loudly in shocked disbelief and crushes the delicate hope he feels. This is the moment he has dreaded the most and the almost accusatory tone in the tracker's voice is not promising good.

"Yes Hound, I have wings now." He replies and his wings begin to droop again. He can already sense the rejection lingering in the air around them.

"You are turning into one of THEM?! Becoming a killer?! Do you even know what HE did?!" The questions are full of hate and disgust, layered with accusations, disdain and rage and they shocks him to his spark.

Primus, it hurts so much to hear them and all he can do is stare blankly at the tracker, unable to believe that it is Hound speaking those words. Shakily, he meets the optics and his spark almost stops pulsing at all the negative emotions he sees in them.

He thought rejection would be the hardest to handle, but this…

His spark feels on the verge of breaking and he fights valiantly to hold back the tears pressing behind his optics. Behind him Starscream shuffles and he can't even begin to imagine what his creation is thinking, hearing Hound's words. He thought Hound wanted to reunite with the seeker, but this… this is creating an impossible abyss between them.

The tracker is rejecting the both of them.

He doesn't see it when Sunstreaker attacks, doesn't really hear the commotion when the fist hits Hound in the face, all that fills him is the sudden emptiness in his spark.

And he is only distantly aware of someone yelling and movement when Ironhide steps forward to confront Sunstreaker. He sees, but doesn't truly register it, when the yellow frontliner prepares for another attack, possibly to hit Ironhide, while the weapons specialist seems ready to pummel some sense into the frontliner.

"He is still our Ratchet!" Sunstreaker snarls, glaring daggers at each mech in turn, daring them to say otherwise and is clearly ready to deliver more punches if it is needed.

"So what if he is turning into a seeker?!" the yellow twin roars at the looks that greets him from the other Autobots, "He is still our comrade and I don't want to see any of you treat him like anything else!"

"Ironhide, back down! Sunstreaker, calm down!" Prime's voice breaks into the tension and the Autobot leader steps in-between the two mechs to prevent any further escalation. "We don't need this right now, neither does Ratchet!"

The first tears trails down his cheeks and he stares blankly at his…

Are they still his comrades?

The doubt hits him hard and the tears flow faster down along his cheeks until he begins to sob and tremble.

Sunstreaker turns around to look at him, and he can see the guilt in the frontliner's optics. The twin takes a few steps towards him with arms outstretched in a clear attempt to apologize for something, but just then blue wings moves to shield him and obscures the sight.

He hears Thundercracker snarl dangerously and is silently thankful for the seeker when strong arms embrace him possessively, but gently. There is a tiny rattling of the wings and he looks up in the seeker's optics when Thundercracker lowers the helm down between them and he is met with the worry and deep care the Winglord allows him to see here in their little cocoon of peace created by the seeker's wings.

The world around them doesn't exist right now.

There is only him and the seeker.

And he gives in to his ramparting feelings and cries loudly to the seeker's soft and comforting cooing and crooning.

Right now Thundercracker feels like the only one he can expect to always be there for him. The Winglord is never going to abandon him and is always going to be a constant in his new life, in one way or another.

The thought fills him with a calm serenity and the rush of feelings it creates slowly drowns out the hurt in his spark. The tears slowly cease their constant flow and once again he looks up to stare into the depth of the yellow optics.

Thundercracker trills a soft vibrant coo and he smiles at the gentle sound.

"Yes. I am better now, thank you. I just wish everyone could see you like you truly are. You take the word adorable to whole new levels Thundercracker." He chuckles and smiles widely when the seeker cants its helm in response, hearing the softness and intonations of his voice, but doesn't truly understand what he is saying.

Who could know that the Winglord is capable of being so caring and loving?

But any gentleness has left the seeker the next moment and he feels how Thundercracker stiffens, while a low and threatening rumble begins to sound from the seeker. The yellow optics looks away from his, narrows dangerously and stares fixatedly at something on the other side of the wings creating their little bubble of peace and he instinctually tenses.

"Ratchet?"

He gasps at the sound of Firstaid's soft voice.

The seeker looks down at him, and he meets the optics again.

Your decision, they seem to tell him and his spark just swells with even more love for the blue seeker in that moment.

"Ratchet?" Firstaid's voice sounds again.

He nods with a little smile to Thundercracker, and slowly the wings unfurl to reveal him.

The younger medic is standing a short distance away from them and looks warily up at Thundercracker when the seeker straightens to its full height and visibly relaxes when the large wings settles calmly on the seeker's back, showing no sign of hostility. Then Firstaid's gaze flickers to the sides and Ratchet remembers that Skywarp and Starscream are flanking them.

He stares nervously past Firstaid and meets the obvious stares of his comrades.

No.

They are no longer his comrades, not truly, not if they can't see past the physical change and see that it doesn't change who he is inside.

No, he reminds himself again, still feeling Thundercracker's supportive presence at his back

He doesn't belong here anymore.

His fear of rejection is foolish, even if Hounds words did hurt like the pit.

There are still some lingering pain in his spark, but it will be soothed by the love Thundercracker so freely offers him, and he realizes that although his former comrades had not rejected him, he would still not be allowed to stay on Earth when the seekers returns to Cybertron.

He is carrying the Winglords newspark and Thundercracker is never going to let him out of sight until it is born. In all honesty, the choice has already been made for him, and should he ever get the chance to choose for himself, then the choice between the compassionate Prime and the charismatic and passionate Winglord is fairly easy.

The two leaders offer very different lives.

Optimus are an old and very dear friend, but even if he walks into unchartered territory by choosing the Winglord, then he is simply too tired of war to worry about the unknown life he chooses among the seekers. At least together with the Winglord he has a chance at peace and a true home, instead of war and the constant fear and suffering he will have to live with if he stays together with the Prime and the Autobots.

Prime might not reject him, but it is clear that the others aren't welcoming his new look. He sees the suspicion, hate and disgust in their optics when he forces himself to meet their gazes one by one.

"Forget them Ratchet. We will make them understand." Firstaid breaks into his thoughts and he returns his attention to the younger medic. There is still nothing but complete acceptance in Firstaid's curious optics.

"Now, tell me, what is happening to you? How is this happening?" Firstaid asks and his questions are layered with bemused curiosity.

"I don't know. All my medical systems are slowly failing me and I'm unable to perform anything able to uncover how far-reaching the invasive changes already are and are going to be. I need your help to solve this mystery." He explains in frustration.

"It is okay. Don't worry. We will uncover the reason and see what we can do about it." Firstaid answers confidently before he turns to face the others.

"You are all dismissed. Everyone out! You too Prime, you can talk to him later; right now he is my patient. OUT!" he orders sternly and meets the glares his comrades gives Ratchet as they leaves with one of his own. Then he turns to look up at Thundercracker when the door has closed behind the last of them and the seeker's optics narrows as if daring the younger medic to tell the seeker to leave as well, and he laughs good-naturedly.

"No need for that Thundercracker. I am not going to tell you to leave. You and your mates are most welcome to stay." Firstaid tells the seeker softly and smiles when Thundercracker steps away from Ratchet after Starscream has translated his words to the Winglord.

"As you can see, this is me." Ratchet mutters while he gestures with open arms down along his frame. The wings flickers nervously on his back and he jolts when Firstaid grabs his servos and draws them closer to inspect the sharpening digits in fascination.

"Primus, doesn't it hurt?" he asks in awe as he tests the sharpness of one of the digits with a light pressure, drawing a tiny drop of energon when he feel it breach his plating slightly.

"No, despite the radical physical changes, it is surprisingly rather painless. The only part of me that hurts at this stage is my feet, and they are still sore even after Starscream treated them with a layer of nanites." The CMO answers.

At that Firstaid looks up startled.

"Thrusters." He confirms Ratchet's own thoughts.

"Yes, but they seem to develop slower than when Starscream grew his. There is still no visible sign of them forming and the pain has been there from the very moment I woke. That is one orn ago, and Starscream grew his in just a couple orns." Ratchet muses out loud with a frown.

"It could be that they aren't some of the most essential parts in this overhaul you are undergoing, but who knows." Firstaid offers as suggestion before he releases his grip on the CMO's servos to critically study the rest of the changing frame.

The wings are still the most obvious change, but here and there he can see some of the other changes Ratchet is undergoing. It is clear to him that the frame is cannibalizing unneeded parts to rebuild the CMO into his new alt mode. At some locations on the frame new modifications has begun to form while places, like the wheels, is slowly being eaten away to give materials and space to the frames new configurations.

"Where do you want me to start?"

"I'm not sure 'Aid. I have no clue as to when or why this change began, all I know is that I woke with Thundercracker hovering above me and had wings and all." He explains, deciding to keep out the fact that their god sought him out and the words the god spoke. They still don't make any sense to him.

"In my opinion we definitely need to perform an energon test and a test on your armor composition, integrity and density. I can see how your frame is seriously degenerating and we need to make sure nothing vital is being affect by it." Firstaid offers thoughtful.

"And a physical scan of my processor to investigate my failing systems as well as a complete scan of my internal systems. It is definitely messing with my core coding and medical coding, I want to know how severe the changes are and what it is adding." Ratchet adds in turn.

"We might as well complete a full physical scan of you. And of course we need to check your spark and sparkchamber integrity." Firstaid finishes, smiling at the CMO. It is good to have the other back. He has missed his sparing with Ratchet during the weeks of the medic's illness.

"About that 'Aid, there is something you should know." Ratchet breaks in, suddenly sounding hesitant.

"Do you sense anything serious from your spark?!" Firstaid asks alert.

"No, no. It's just…" He stares at the younger medic, debating if he should say it, but even if he doesn't the examination is going to show it. "I'm sparked." He finishes, biting his lip as he waits for Firstaid's response to that bit of information.

"You're…WHAT?!" Firstaid exclaims startled, and Thundercracker growls at his sudden outburst.

"And Thundercracker is the Sire." He adds.

"You…! He…!" The younger medic glances franticly between the CMO and the Winglord, disbelief prominent on his face and he gapes shocked up at Thundercracker.

"How?!" He demands to know when he turns to face Ratchet again, wide optics showing a wide range of emotions, but to Ratchet's relief none of them is negative feelings, just honest surprise and shock.

"Apparently whatever is changing me decided to remodel my internals as some of the first. As I said, I woke to Thundercracker hovering above me. I am not going into details about what happened, but he mated with me and ended up sparking me." The CMO explains with a blush.

"So you are telling me that you are carrying Thundercracker's newspark while these changes continue to happen?!" The sudden strictness in Firstaid's voice takes him by surprise.

The other medic leaves him no chance to answer when he is forcefully dragged towards the nearest berth.

"Get on it now!" Firstaid orders sternly before the younger medic walks to one of the cabinets and begins to gather tools and medical accessories.

Ratchet takes place on the berth with a small wry smile. Usually he would protest wildly, but Firstaid does have a point. He still remembers Starscreams carrier too clearly, and even Starscream had troubles when he began his carrying period. It is impossible to say how this change is affecting him while he is in the state of carrying.

Firstaid returns with a batch of energon drops, a syringe to take the energon sample and a kit to perform the several tests on his armor.

He relaxes back onto his wings with a sigh and makes himself comfortable on the berth while he watches as Firstaid rigs the monitors to keep track of his vitals. One after one they comes alive and shows him his spark rate, spark pulse, energon levels, energy integrity in various essential systems as well as his processor activity.

Nothing seems out of sort. His spark rate is in perfect balance with his energy levels. There is no strain on his spark at all and it eases him to know that the newspark is safe and healthy within him.

Then suddenly a shadow looms above him and he looks up into worried optics and tense blue wings.

"It is okay Thundercracker; Firstaid is just going to examine me to make sure everything is alright with me and our newspark." He coos calmly to the blue seeker and carefully, to not disconnect any of the wires connecting him to the monitors, he reaches a servo upwards to touch and sooth. But all it does is make Thundercracker emit an uncommon tiny whining sound before the seeker kneels to get closer to him.

Starscream walks up beside the berth as well and smiles down at him.

"Don't bother Ratchet. Last time he experienced one of us on a medical berth I was dying, remember? Nothing you say or do is going to make him calm down and not worry. He is flooding out bond with so many intense feelings right now. I know that you want to know why this is happening, and I understand that, but don't expect him to understand your medical procedures. We don't have anything like that among our people and I can't explain it to him in a way he will understand." Starscream explains softly, glancing calmly between his creator and the Winglord.

"Can't you at least tell him that I'm not dying?" The CMO points out while he stares into the Winglords expressive optics. It hurts to see all the worry and know that he can't do anything right now to calm the seeker.

It surprises him when Starscream bursts out laughing, and he shifts his optics to stare offended at his creation.

"Sorry Ratchet, I simply forget that you don't know anything about seekers and the Winglord." Starscream apologizes with humor before he continues to explain in a more serious tone.

"You are one of his seekers; a part of you lingers inside his essence and allows him to feel you like the rest of his people. It enables him to know instinctually if you were dying. I don't need to tell him that you aren't, he already knows that, but he still worries. By experience, medical berths mean bad things to him and in all honesty he might be almighty and fearsome, but in truth he is one big sap. You are his newest seeker and the carrier of his newspark, allow him to worry. It is rare to see him this relaxed and unguarded. Relish in it." The tricolored seeker explains with a wide smile.

"Oh…" he answers dumbstruck. How fascinating.

"Are you ready?" Firstaid asks.

"Yes. Let us begin." He answers with a nod and offers his left arm to the younger medic when Firstaid takes the syringe and checks it for damages.

Thundercracker snarls when the medic brings the syringe into touch with Ratchet's plating and Starscream is swift with a claw on the blue seeker's right wing. Skywarp bounces over as well and croons soothingly from behind the Winglord while he gently nuzzles the other wing.

He feels the prick when the needle breaches his plating and enters into the energon line. A klik later it withdraws and he can see the syringe is completely full and to his relief the color is a healthy vibrant purple and shows no visible changes to his energon.

Then Firstaid takes the prepared wielder to close the tiny wound created in the energon line and plating, but when the medic turns to seal it, it has already done that on its own, and Firstaid stares at complete plating with the only sign of the tiny wound being the drops of energon that managed to seep from it before it closed.

"What the…!" He utters and almost drops the wielder in surprise.

"Don't look so surprised Firstaid. He is turning into a seeker and this is how we work." Starscream chuckles to him.

Thundercracker is leaning heavily on the tricolored seeker, efficiently distracted by the calming touches to his frame and now and then small purrs escape him in his docile contentment between his mates.

However, the serenity dissipates with Starscream tensing when Firstaid with a nod accepts Ratchet's new abilities as a seeker and reaches for the laser scalpel he needs to use to cut out the pieces to test the CMO's armor.

Thundercracker senses the tensing and yellow optics dozily gazes around the medbay, searching for the reason. Unaware of the danger, Firstaid tests the functionality of the tool in front of his optics and the Winglords optics lands on the scalpel held up by the medic.

"Wait!" Starscream almost screams and shocks both Firstaid and Ratchet by the urgency in his voice, then there is a short moment of silence before Skywarp swiftly teleports away with Thundercracker.

"Starscream?" Ratchet asks nervously when the tricolored seeker flinches at something he can't see.

"No need to worry Ratchet. Skywarp will teleport him back when we are ready for them. I just don't want him to kill Firstaid when he begins to cut into you to take the samples you need." Starscream explains seriously, flinching again at the enraged roar the dominant unleashes in their bond.

Firstaid almost loses his grip on the scalpel and pales at the tricolored seeker's words.

"Primus! You are right; he would have attacked 'Aid!" Ratchet breathes horrified.

"Yes. He doesn't understand these procedures; all he would see is someone hurting you and he would react accordingly to protect you." Starscream nods.

"I suggest you get this done fast. The longer Skywarp keeps him away from Ratchet the more irate he is going to be." The seeker adds to Firstaid, sensing how Thundercracker's fury is growing by the klik.

Skywarp is safe enough in dealing with the Winglord at the moment; the black and purple seeker is capable of keeping a safe distance to the angry dominant, while at the same time keeping Thundercracker from being able to return to the spaceship.

Thundercracker might punish them harshly for this later, but right now it is more imperative to prevent the dominant from attacking Firstaid when the medic begins to take the armor samples, than avoid punishment.

The door to the medbay is keyed open just as Firstaid bends to take the first sample, and Wheeljack looks in.

"Why is Skywarp continuously teleporting Thundercracker around in the air above the volcano?" he asks hesitantly, staring from Ratchet on the berth to Starscream standing beside it and lastly to Firstaid and how the medic is holding the scalpel less than an inch from Ratchet's plating.

"Because having him down here right now would be detrimental to your survival." Starscream replies coldly and he glares daggers until Wheeljack finally seems to understand the meaning behind the words and leaves them alone.

"Hurry up. The longer this takes, the less I can promise that he won't do anything anyway." Starscream urges, and tries to send calm to Thundercracker as well as quell Skywarp's gleefulness as the black and purple seeker plays around with their dominant.

::Don't antagonize him too much Sky. I don't want to have a repeat of my punishment a few orns back.:: He warns his black and purple mate and senses how Skywarp's glee abates a bit.

Without further disturbances Firstaid takes the armor samples from various locations on Ratchets frame and deposits them in several test tubes.

A few of the test tubes are filled with chemical compounds able to decompose the armor compositions to their smallest molecules, while others are filled with different catalysts, which tests the armor's density and in addition makes it possible to test the armor integrity when they later bombards the samples with electrons and then measures how many and how fast they are able to pass through the armor's surface.

This time the wounds are larger and even if the flow of energon is stopping on its own, the wounds doesn't seal closed by themselves. Placing the last test tubes on the trace, Firstaid begins to seal them, patching the gapes in the armor to look as inconspicuous as possible.

"There, I am done." He tells Starscream when he with a sigh places the wielder back onto the trace and stares at the almost invisible patched wounds.

The tricolored seeker leans down, scents a bit and critically studies the patches himself before he looks up with a small nod to the work done. He knows it isn't going to fool Thundercracker, but there is no scent of Ratchet's energon or obvious sign of the wounds done to the CMO's frame, and he hopes it is enough to placate Thundercracker and prevent the dominant from entering crazed madness.

"I will tell Skywarp to bring him back. I suggest that you step a bit away and take the samples with you. I can't predict how he will react." Starscream warns and Firstaid takes the trace and walks to put it down beside the microscope. The armor samples still need to linger in the test tubes for a while longer before they are able to examine the results in it.

Then he inserts the energon sample into the machine able to split it down into its core components and after he has activated the process he returns to stay a safe distance away from Ratchet, ready for the enraged Winglord to return to their presence.


	17. Chapter 17

Had to cut the chapter again. It just keeps growing and growing. This segment of the medical examination actually doesnt have much to do with it, but is an result of what happened in the end of last chapter.

**Warnings: Violence, Gore, Horror.**

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A purple mist heralds Skywarps return and the tension grows in the medbay as it shifts around and hides the most of the two emerging seekers. A moment later a spark chilling scream fills the room and large amounts of energon splashes onto the floor and runs in a rapid stream along it, coloring the floor a sickly purple as it moves. The mist slowly dissipates and they stare in terrified horror at the sight of Thundercracker and the brutal grip the Winglord has on Skywarp, with one of the black wings almost completely severed.

The horror of the situation just grows when Thundercracker with an insane roar of fury mercilessly slashes into Skywarps midsection with devastating force and begin to tear at the submissive's internals, the deadly claws causing horrendous damage to the black and purple seeker as they tear at delicate circuitry and severs countless energon lines.

To Ratchet, the violence that is happening right in front of him is completely incomprehensibly, and he stares in deep shock at the growing pool of energon flowing from Skywarp as Thundercracker keeps mutilating the black and purple seeker.

He has completely forgotten how brutal the seekers can be in the face of Thundercracker's gentleness.

This is the true Sire to his newspark.

"Come Ratchet." Firstaid urgently breaks into his epiphany and he dazedly turns his helm to see the medic franticly disconnect the wires to the monitors before he is dragged off of the berth and further away from the mad Winglord.

The last he sees before Firstaid leads him into one of the antechambers and the door closes is Thundercracker releasing Skywarp only to tear into Starscream and his spark pulse speeds up in panic at the sound of Starscream screaming in agonizing pain. The shrill sound rings in his audios and he collapses to the floor in deep emotional pain.

Primus!

"He is killing them." he breathes in horrified terror as the awful screams just continues and grows in volume with every klik.

He might be safer inside the antechamber, but to not know what is going on – what Thundercracker is doing to Starscream and Skywarp – causes' him immense distress. The sounds from the other side of the closed door creates image after image in his processor of what is going on and each image is worse than the other, spelling certain death and destruction for the two smaller seekers.

His nightmarish reverie is abruptly disrupted by the loud reverberating sound of a frame connecting heavily against a wall followed by the sound of shattering cabinets and equipment falling to the floor, and then there is just silence.

"Oh Primus!" He whimpers in a barely audible whisper and stares in dreadful terror up at Firstaid as the silence just stretches on and slowly turns ominous.

Then the silence is shattered by the sound of Thundercracker's heavy steps coming closer and closer and he tries to brace himself for what is coming.

The door into the antechamber is ripped apart by the seeker's claws a moment later and he turns his helm to stare up into hellish white optics. The Winglord roars at the sight of Firstaid and the younger medic wisely retreats further back into the room until his back connects with the wall, leaving Ratchet alone as the seeker's sole target.

Scared to his spark Ratchet remains unmoving, completely paralyzed; while the seeker's white emotionless optics studies him intensely. He hears how Thundercracker scents in air heavily, the seeker's helm whirring from side to side and it grunts at the several specific scents that fills its olfactory sensor.

MINE!, they collectively inform the seeker and the Winglords protective coding purrs in deep satisfaction before it slowly begin to release its grip on the dominant. Thundercracker leans down and gently gathers Ratchet from the floor and carries the CMO out of the antechamber, completely ignoring Firstaid.

Ratchet looks around fearfully as they leaves the antechamber and stares horrified at the sight of Starscream and Skywarp fearfully cowering in a distant corner of the medbay. They are severely injured, but are still moving and he breathes with relief at the fact that they still are alive.

He wants to be by Starscreams side right now, but Thundercracker gives him no chance to go to his creation and make sure that Starscream is going to survive his injuries, instead the Winglord oh so tenderly lowers him onto a berth and begins a thorough inspection of his frame.

It is a stark contrast to the violence the seeker has committed just a moment before and it puts him off.

While Thundercracker works, Firstaid slips out of the antechamber and Ratchet sighs with relief when he sees the medic instantly go to the two downed seekers and kneel beside them. Their energon is pooling rapidly beneath them, seeping from several large and deep wounds on their frames and the sight of it worries him.

Skywarp chirps weakly at a gesture from the younger medic and Starscream murmurs something with a shake of his helm. The movement is clearly painful and weak and tears begin to well up in his optics at the sight of them this wounded, and by their own mate.

How could Thundercracker do this to them?

He can't understand it.

He had expected Firstaid to be the one in danger when Thundercracker returned to them, and that Starscream would be able to calm down the blue seeker enough to allow them to continue with the examination.

He definitely hadn't expected Thundercracker to attack the seeker's own mates like that and to have it happen right in front of him, with all the gory details. It shakes his belief in the large blue seeker and makes him uncertain about his future among the seekers.

Firstaid begins to seal the most urgent wounds and he turns his gaze away from the acute lifesaving triage to look up at Thundercracker. Compared to the hateful red during Megatrons control over the seeker and their default expressive yellow coloration, the white scares him the most. There are no emotions in them at all; it is as if Thundercracker isn't even there.

But even if the optics doesn't show any of the seeker's emotions the rest of the large frame communicates enough and the touch to his frame as the seeker's claws gently moves to inspect him, leaving no part of his frame untouched, can almost be compared to a lover's touch.

He knows it the instant Thundercracker comes across the first of the patches on his frame and he feels how the seeker tenses while the large wings stop any movement for several long kliks. When they finally begin to move again it is in erratic patterns and he winces when a claw tip suspiciously inspects the flimsy metal covering the wound beneath it. It is apparently all Thundercracker needs to know, and when the touch leaves and the pain vanish, he knows that new troubles are brewing.

It is impossible to predict what Thundercracker is going to do and he can see the large wings rise higher and higher in aggression on the seeker's back as the Winglord locates the other patches one after another. Finally he sees the white optics narrow and a low menacing growl begins to sound before Thundercracker straightens, done with the inspection, and looks incredibly intimidating and dangerous.

The white optics ominously sweeps the room and to his horror lands on Firstaid where the medic is working on sealing the nasty wounds in Skywarps midsection.

No.

No more violence.

No more!

There has to be something he can do to stop this from escalating again.

It is on pure instinct that he takes one of the seeker's servos and in panic leads it to his chestplates, above his spark chamber, in an attempt to show the sire to his newspark that he and their creation are safe and healthy, and the feeling of his touch causes Thundercracker to turn the attention away from Firstaid and back onto him.

He swallows hard and bites at his lower lip while he waits for something, anything, to happen.

At first there is no reaction, but then after a few long kliks Thundercracker cants the helm and the claws knead possessively into his plating. The growl silences and instead a small croon leave the seeker's vocalizer at the feeling of the life pulsing within him.

A heavy burden lift from his spark as Ratchet sees the white of the optics begin to flicker and then slowly dissipate, to be replaced by the well-known yellow at the feeling of their newspark's steady and healthy pulsing within his spark chamber.

"We are okay. No need for violence." He murmurs and he fights to keep his voice calm and even.

The yellow optics shifts from his chestplates to gaze into his optics and all tension evaporates with the blue wings lowering to their default position on Thundercracker's back. He stifles a sob at the sight and all the stress in his frame threatens to overtake him. It is impossible for him to hold back the tears when Thundercracker calmly turns away from him and he stares with hope when the blue seeker walks over to and kneels beside Starscream and Skywarp.

Firstaid is obviously hesitant when Thundercracker joins him at the two downed seekers, but Ratchet is overcome by elation and he gives in to the flood of intense feelings taking him over and cries loudly at the sight of Thundercracker tending to the horrendous wounds the dominant has given the two submissive seekers.

A cacophony of beautiful gentle trills fills the medbay and the sound of their joined vocalizations as the three seekers reassures each other, apologizes and forgives, fills his spark to the brim with deep affection for all three. In this instant, with the gentle peaceful sounds mending the fears in his spark, he can't feel anything but devotion for his new leader.

It is still a mystery to him why this happened in the first place, but seeing Starscream and Skywarp readily accept the Winglord's treatment of their injuries without any sign of fear convinces him that no matter what it was that caused this, it is over and forgotten.

The calamity turns to serenity and between Thundercracker and Firstaid it doesn't take long to complete the repairs to the two submissives. The Winglord's nanites work wonders alongside Firstaid's wielder, and Ratchet finds great joy in watching the younger medic interact and work this closely with the Winglord. It also fascinates him to see how efficient Thundercracker is in the repairs and the power of the nanites.

Unable to sit idle himself, he rises from the berth and walks over to the energon dispenser and pours several cubes. Starscream and Skywarp need to replenish their levels, and while their loss of energon has been great they are still not critical enough to require drops. The new shape and sharpness of his digits make it hard for him to balance the cubes on top of each other and he just resigns to walk the distance between the repairs and the dispenser several times.

Skywarp eagerly reaches for the cube he hands the black and purple seeker and he smiles at the sight of the seeker consuming the fuel in large desperate gulps while Starscream is a bit more slowly in consuming his. The cube is turned bottom up and he bursts out laughing when Skywarp stares solemnly at the suddenly empty cube. With a hesitant caress to a wing, unsure if it is an accepted gesture, he walks back to the dispenser to get some more for the obviously hungry seeker.

He enjoys Skywarps cute antics so much that he completely forgets Thundercracker's presence and he jolts in surprise when the cube he is handing the black and purple seeker on his third turn is grabbed by the blue seeker. The large claws touch him gently at the move and he jerks, abruptly releasing his grip on the cube in shock.

The Winglord's yellow optics captivates him with their care when he warily looks into them and Thundercracker trills a small gentle tune at the attention.

/Thank you./

He forces a small smile at the sound, but feels how it doesn't manage to reach his optics. It still shakes him that the Winglord is capable of suddenly turning that violent and attack the seeker's own mates, and as long as he doesn't know the reason behind the sudden violent change, he is naturally going to be hesitant around the seeker.

Thundercracker obviously sees his hesitation and the blue wings droops in reaction to it, before the seeker turns its back to him and he is left staring at the lowered wings and feeling awful at the sight.

Starscream sighs as he stares at his creator and how Ratchet's wings lowers in reaction to Thundercracker's sadness. They are still too small, but still try to fold around Ratchet to hide the medic from sight in a clear indication of the turbulent feelings inside his creator.

It is only natural for his creator to be shaken after what he witnessed.

Who wouldn't be at the sight of the violence Thundercracker is capable of when ruled by the protective coding?

But even if it is terrifying to witness Thundercracker under the influence of the protective coding, he is actually relieved that it turned out as it did, because he isn't sure Ratchet could have handled witnessing Thundercracker rape them as punishment.

Violence the medic can understand, not the emotional pain it is to be taken by force.

And the thought of Ratchet going through any kind of punishment steels his resolve to find the perfect dominant for his creator, someone close to Thundercracker's state of mind. At least he doesn't need to worry for his creator until the newspark has been born and even after that Thundercracker is going to keep close optics on the medic when Ratchet is given to his new dominant protector.

"Take the time you need Ratchet. It is all up to you to decide when you want to accept his advances again. He won't demand anything from you before you on your own willingly seeks his attention." He tells his creator gently, before he with a croon reaches a servo to caress one of Thundercracker's wings.

The dominant reacts with a flutter of the wings and leans further into the touch with a happy tune.

"I still don't understand what happened? Why did he turn that crazy?" Ratchet asks while he watches Thundercracker lean down and peck a hesitant kiss to Starscreams lips. The hesitance evaporates when Starscream reciprocates and there is an excited trill while the blue wings flicker erratically for a moment before they settle to fan calmly again.

It is hard not to smile at the sight of Thundercracker's contagious happiness when Starscream allows the dominant's advances and the trills and intonations that keeps flowing in a steady stream from the Winglord makes him curious as to what Thundercracker is saying to Starscream.

Promises to never hurt him again?

Words of devotion?

Exclamation's of love?

He gets the impression when Starscream suddenly turns the gaze from Thundercracker and onto him that whatever the two seekers are saying, some of it is about him and that suspicion just intensifies when Starscream with a smirk trills something to the dominant.

/He is smiling at you./ Starscream comments with a smirk.

The Winglord's wings perk up at whatever Starscream is saying and Thundercracker turns around to stare expectantly at him. He is still smiling stupidly at the dominant's contagious happiness and doesn't manage to hide it before the blue seeker is looking at him, but it falters and vanishes at the sight of the open and expectant eagerness in Thundercracker's optics and he takes a tentative step back at the intense attention from the seeker.

Renewed sadness fills Thundercracker's optics at the sight and the blue wings lowers dejectedly on the Winglord's back before the dominant once again turns the back to him. Any sign of the previous happiness is gone and Starscream coos soothingly while he gently strokes the lowered wings.

"As I said, it is all up to you." He states again to Ratchet, accepting his creator's continued hesitance to allow Thundercracker closer as long as the medic doesn't know what caused it all to begin with.

"And I want you to know that this is the first time he has hurt me and Skywarp like this. He doesn't like to hurt us and prefers other ways to punish us that leaves us less damaged when we do deserve punishment." He adds in an attempt to ease his creator's worry, but knows that his words might cause Ratchet to worry even more, however, there is simply no gentle way to explain this and it is the first time any of them have been the direct target of Thundercracker's protective coding.

"I don't know if I can explain what happened in a way that you can understand," He begins to explain, while he keeps touching Thundercracker soothingly, "but you know how affected we seekers are by our coding, and what you saw is an ingrained aspect of the dominant seeker's coding. While the dominant is influenced by it, he doesn't recognize anyone around him and anyone stepping between him and the prompting that the coding demands are in danger." The tricolored seeker sighs and leans forward to gently kiss Thundercracker.

There is a soft gentle croon from the dominant when their lips touch and he can feel Thundercracker's desperate need to merge with them, to strengthen their bond.

/Yes, but later./ he murmurs against the Winglord's desperate and insistent lips, aware that most of the requested merge will be used to reassure the dominant about their continued love for him.

::I don't like hurting any of you.:: Thundercracker press on to the both of them, and Skywarp floods their bond with deep affection in an attempt to reassure their dominant's current uncertainty.

::We know.:: Starscream answers before he breaks the kiss with a silent promise to reaffirm their sparkbond later.

The attention from them and the clear promise seems to be enough for Thundercracker for now and he smiles at the sight of the blue wings perking a bit in renewed happiness.

Then he turns his attention back to Ratchet, who is studying their display with a tiny barely visible smile, but he sees it, and knows curiosity when he sees it in his creator.

"That coding is designed to activate at any sensed threat to the dominant's submissives when they are carrying, and while you aren't his mate, you are carrying his newspark, which makes the protective coding react to any danger to you as well. It is the only reason to why he attacked me and Skywarp. By removing him from your presence at a time where he sensed a danger to you, we became the targets of it, and that we kept him from returning to your side just worsened it all." He completes his explanation and smiles when he can see understanding begin to dawn in his creator.

"Am I right in my assumption that something like this is what happened to the Decepticons a year back?" Ratchet asks carefully, looking from Starscream's small smile and to the still slightly lowered blue wings, while his processor connects this new knowledge with the previously incomprehensible circumstances that less than a year ago had led to the demise of the Decepticon's stationed on Earth.

"Yes, and it is the same coding he miraculously managed to suppress when the Autobots attacked him while he was in close proximity to you." Starscream nods seriously.

It still shocks him that Thundercracker even managed to keep from slaughtering the Autobots. It should have been completely impossible for the dominant to not trigger the coding, enter madness and target the attackers. But Thundercracker had remained aware enough to leave them, and instead of a massacre of the Autobots, it became a worldwide attack on mankind. And while he knows that he should feel sad and remorseful about the loss of human lives all over the planet, he doesn't.

It is an aspect of all life to eventually die someday.

This is something that he reluctantly has learnt and accepted during the time he has spent among his true people.

Thundercracker can at any time be challenged for his position as Winglord and die, and the orn Thundercracker loses to a challenger will be the orn he himself is going to die, when their spark bond drags him down together with the dominant. It is harsh facts, and something he has had to accept as something, which is going to happen someday.

It is the fate of every Winglord.

They spread their coding among their people and become the cause of their own death by creating the seekers which in the end are able to kill them and take over the position as their people's new leader.

/It is okay Starscream./ Thundercracker breaks into his thoughts with a soft voice, sensing the inner turmoil in the tricolored submissive. He scoops Starscream into a close embrace when he settles on the floor and rests against the wall with Skywarp leaning in against him a klik later. /If I die, then I die, and we will have eternity together in the Afterlife. I don't fear death as long as I have you and Skywarp by my side./ He murmurs and leans down to peck a gentle comforting kiss to Starscream's forehelm.

/It isn't just your death I fear, it is also what we are leaving behind when it happens. With all that is happening to my creator right now, I fear what is going to happen to him when we aren't there to protect him anymore. I am so happy that the change is happening to him, that I can have him with me among our people, but it also worries me./ Starscream admits with a tremble and melts into Thundercracker's strong embrace to draw on the comfort the dominant offers him.

/No one can predict the future Starscream. All you can do is trust The Sky Above, and if that isn't enough to calm your worries, then have faith in me. I'm not going to give in, lie down and die. I am always going to fight for the best for our people, no matter what happens in the future./ The Winglord sooths while one of the dominant's claws lifts Starscream's helm at the jawline and leans down to apply a chaste kiss to the submissive's lips. Skywarp silently, yet insistently, leans in further on his other side and chirrs happily when Thundercracker turns to kiss him as well.

/And if the best is another Winglord?/ Starscream adds hesitantly.

/Then I am going to test him to his outmost. If he can defeat me, then he is worthy of the position./ Thundercracker answers, voice unwavering and confident.

/Don't worry Starscream. It requires a strong, cunning and versatile challenger to defeat Thundercracker, and so far Spitfire is the only one in our clan who might be capable of killing his sire. I don't know how many other dominants from the other clans, which are on par with Thundercracker, but I know that Spitfire don't want to lead and thus isn't a threat, even if Thundercracker is encouraging him constantly by involving him in decisions./ Skywarp chimes in, in an attempt to ease Starscreams worry, and glares angrily at Thundercracker at the last bit. No one tells the Winglord no, not even the Winglord's own creation, and the black and purple carrier has tried everything to get Thundercracker to leave Spitfire alone on the topic of taking over the leadership.

Their eldest creation simply loves his carrier and creator too much to cause them such hurt, even if it is how their society work. He agree that Spitfire, taking greatly after his creator, would be a good Winglord for their people, but if the younger dominant don't want to lead, then Thundercracker should just accept it and not pressure him into essentially kill his own creator.

/Twelve. There are twelve dominants that at the moment might be able to defeat me./ Thundercracker adds in a calm voice, and is sounding completely indifferent, despite the fact that they are discussing seekers able to kill him. /But they accept my leadership for now, so there is no point in digging deeper into this topic. We will discuss this later, if issues begin to arise and there is a real threat to my position./ He strictly closes the discussion. It is pointless to discuss his possible death, and all it is going to accomplish right now is make Starscream even more worried than he already is.

The tricolored seeker nods in solemn acceptance and curls firmer into the dominant, and the world around him is for a moment forgotten, while he tries to quell the worry in his spark.

It still pains him to think about Thundercracker dying one orn, but the dominant is right, it is bearable as long as they are together. He simply can't imagine a life where he just carries on without Thundercracker.

It would be an empty and pointless life.

/It won't be happening Starscream. Don't linger on it, we are together in everything. You will never be alone./ Skywarp sooths and leans in to comfortingly nuzzle his helm against the crook of Starscreams neck.

/You are both mine, in life and in death./ Thundercracker states possessively with a tightening the grip on him, and that, as well as the deep affections filling their bond from the dominant is calming his worry.

/Always./ He whispers in turn, a small smile forming on his lips and he fills their bond with his own deep devotion.

/Forever./ Skywarp adds, adding his own love for his mates to the mix of caring feelings flowing in their bond.


	18. Chapter 18

I apologize for the long wait, but i have been working hard on getting this chapter right. It has been technically hard to write and i have tried to get as much flow into it, to not make it something like a boring medical report. There is a lot of shifting from views, i hope you can follow them.

**Warnings: None.**

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"Starscream?" Ratchet's voice breaks into their serene moment and when he lifts his helm to look at his creator and Firstaid standing a distance away, Thundercracker and Skywarp follows his gaze.

"Yes?" Starscream asks curiously and rises slightly from his relaxed position in Thundercracker's lap. He completely forgot the presence of the two medics.

"I think I am ready." Ratchet murmurs, while his gaze shifts nervously between the three seekers. Their undivided attention clearly unnerves him and Starscream can see how his creator's courage slowly evaporates despite his words.

"It is all up to you Ratchet. If you aren't ready for it, then you don't have to do it. There is no pressure on you." He encourages with a little smile.

His words seem to bring back some of the courage, because he sees renewed determination enter Ratchets optics.

"How do I do it?" Ratchet asks, his optics now solely on Thundercracker and the Winglord clearly senses the change in him, because the blue seeker spreads the large wings and flutters them enticingly with an almost subsonic humming.

"Touch him. It is all up to you how you show him that you welcome his advances again. You are the one in control this time and you decide how far you want to take it." Starscream explains, and his smile widens when Ratchet answers with a curt nod before the medic begins to walk the distance separating them.

Thundercracker watches pleased as the red and white submissive walks closer and he studies interested the cant of the wings, the way the hips sways a bit and the fiery determination in the expressive blue optics.

There is an unintended challenge hidden in the submissive's display with the wings held just a tiny bit too high, showing aggression, but he decides to disregard it this time because they are alone.

Starscream cringes when he also sees the challenge in Ratchet's wings, and stares nervously up at Thundercracker. There is nothing from their bond, and the Winglord's expression shows nothing either, but Thundercracker remains unmoving and slowly Starscream relaxes. The Winglord would have reacted to the challenge by now, which means that Thundercracker doesn't intend to punish Ratchet for this.

::Thank you Winglord.:: His words are humble, thankful and full of the proper submissive intonations when addressing the dominant as their Winglord. Thundercracker is in his full right to punish Ratchet for the transgression – they are both aware of that – and if there had been other dominants present, the Winglord would have been forced to react to the challenge and punish the red and white submissive for it.

But when they are alone, like now, it is all up to the Winglord to decide whether he wants to react or not.

::I'm not merciless, you know that Starscream.:: Thundercracker answers with warmth, ::It serves no purpose to punish him for trying to follow our ways. He is new, he needs to learn, but punishment is not the way when he doesn't even know how to properly act around his new people. It would be pointless and would just alienate him from me and us.:: the dominant explains calmly.

Starscream smiles at the wisdom in Thundercracker's words and relaxes further when he realizes what they mean for Ratchet. His creator will be safe from harm until he has learnt and understood their ways of communication with the wings and how to address dominants.

::May I suggest Silvershade as his mentor?:: He asks hesitantly. He trusts the dominant to take good care of his creator and interaction with Allevaria and Salvacia is going to do Ratchet good when he is to integrate into their society.

::You don't want Crossfire?:: Thundercracker asks with a light frown.

::I trust Crossfire as much as I trust Silvershade, but Allevaria and Salvacia is going to do him good when we return home. He is a healer, and he is losing that part of himself to this. Let him regain just a bit of it by their proximity.:: Starscream explains with a little sad smile.

Thundercracker nods in understanding and turns his attention back to the red and white seeker. The wings still shows the challenge, but he ignores it and is just happy that the submissive seems to want his advances again. His optic glows with warmth as he watches Ratchet take the last steps separating them, and the red and white submissive is so close that all it needs to do is reach out and touch him.

Starscream rises elegantly from his lap and retreats behind him to give the red and white seeker full and unhindered access to the Winglord's entire frame.

Thundercracker flutters his wings again and spreads them even further in an impressive display as well as an open invitation to the submissive to touch him. He feels how his spark almost skips a pulse when the red and white seeker takes the invitation, leans in and begins to trail gentle claws along the leading edges of his wings, and he trills happily at the touch.

It wants him again.

He offlines his optics in pleasure and soaks in the feeling of the gentle inexperienced touch to his wings. His impressive wingspan is clearly a challenge for the smaller submissive and at some point the touch to his left wing vanishes, only to be added to his right wing. A throaty purr leaves his vocalizer when the claws reaches his right wingtip and begins to gently fondle it.

Sky Above!

His right wing is on pleasurable fire and then the gesture is repeated on his left wing. The pure onslaught of intense pleasure zinging through his sensor net paralyses his processor for several kliks until the wash of sensations slowly abates and he can think again.

The next moment the touch to his frame vanishes completely, and he is about to online his optics at the loss of stimulation when it returns and to his surprise begins to sensually move up along his frame. He purrs in pleasurable contentment at the daring touch as the claws rubs at his cockpit and up along his chestplates, activating several clusters of sensor nodes as they move, until they reaches and settles on each side of his neck. Pleasurable charge coalesces inside him and his frame heats up in preparation of more.

A light hesitant touch to his lips causes him to finally online his optics, and he stares into the submissive's blue optics at the feeling of the light kiss to his lips. Then his helm is held in a light gentle hold by the red and white seeker's claws, and the kiss deepens.

He moans into the kiss and is about to offline his optics again to thoroughly enjoy the sensations the kiss causes in his frame, but is taken by surprise, and onlines them fully again when the submissive's glossa gently demands entrance into his mouth.

His lips part on their own volition, his processor too caught up in the shock that the red and white seeker dare such a move, and the submissive's glossa slowly snakes between his fangs and into his mouth. A groan escapes him at the feeling of the glossa exploring every crevice of his mouth and he begins to reciprocate when he recovers enough from the shock and offlines his optics to increase the intensity of the kiss.

Arousal and hunger grows inside him and he feels how his spark pulse speeds up while his spark burns hotly inside its chamber. He is so tempted to take control, to push them over the edge and into a frenzy that demands desperate release of the lust rising inside him. It is so tempting, and he hungers for more, to sink his fangs into the submissive's neck, while his spike sinks into its heat and claims it, thoroughly.

But, he can't.

This is a very important ritual to strengthen or regain trust between dominants and submissives, and if he takes control, he breaks the trust the submissive shows him right now.

It came to him willingly, it offers him what it wants to, and he need to only take what it willingly gives him, without any claiming of his own.

It is with great effort that he manages to rein in the control over himself and is able to quell most of the fiercely rising lust inside him, before he completely gives in to it and breaks the trust. It is hard with new sensations being added from their continued kiss, but he succeeds and settles to calmly appreciate what the red and white seeker offers him, while he admits to himself that he desperately searches for any indication of the submissive offering more than just the kiss.

But no such indication happens, and the kiss continues for almost a whole breem while their glossae teasingly flirt with each other.

He is breathing heavily when the submissive finally breaks the kiss, turns away from him, and then walks away with its back and wings turned to him. It is only by sheer force of will that he stops himself from reaching out to prevent it from walking away, leaving him burning with desire and the lingering sensation of the kiss on his lips.

His frame is yearning for release inside the red and white submissive, and he stares with broken hope at its departing from as it walks over to the red and white grounder and begins to talk to it, seemingly not even aware of the emotions it has awakened inside him by its innocent gentle gestures.

/I know you want him, but now is not the time./ Starscream gently murmurs into his right audio, and then, to his frustration, Starscream leaves him as well and joins the seeker and grounder at the metal slab, leaving him alone with the intense feeling of the kiss and bursting with lust and longing for more.

"You are shameless Ratchet." Starscream mock scolds with a mischievous grin, as he walks over to the two medics by the berth, "You took him by storm, overwhelmed him completely, and then you just walks away, leaving him bursting with deep emotions and longing." He explains, and casts a telling glance towards where Thundercracker is staring at them, smoldering optics full of unfulfilled desires.

"I did?" Ratchet asks surprised and follows Starscreams gaze. The almost hungry look in the Winglord's optics causes him to blush and he looks away flustered.

"You did, but don't worry. It is healthy for him to not always get what he wants when he wants it." Starscream laughs good-naturedly.

"Can we resume the examination?" Firstaid asks Starscream, breaking into the conversation, determined to get the last part of the examination completed.

Right now the energon sample and the armor samples are ready to be viewed in the microscope; all that remains of the examination is to complete the scan of the processor's internal systems, to determine the state of core coding and basic functions, and the various scans of Ratchet's frame, which is going to give them a detailed insight into the changes happening inside the CMO.

"Yes, you can continue." Starscream answers with a nod and he turns to look at Thundercracker for a moment. The dominant still stares longingly at Ratchet when the CMO takes place on the berth again, but remains where he is sitting, leaned against the wall. He smiles at the sight before he turns his attention back to Ratchet and what Firstaid is about to do.

"Give me a moment to rig the scanner, and then we can begin with the full frame scan of your frame." Firstaid announces to Ratchet, before he activates the large ceiling scanner and moves it to hover high above the berth.

Adjusting the scanner's parameters to the required scan, Firstaid begins to calibrate the scanner, and in response it lowers to hover just a few inches above Ratchet, before its large moveable sides move to completely encase the CMO.

A systems check follows, where the scanner completes the final calibration. A verifying signal sounds and announces that the scanner is ready to commence the scanning. Firstaid activates the procedure and then steps away from the berth at the sound of adjusting equipment. A klik later the full frame scan commences with blinding light shining through the gapes along the sides as the scanner scans the CMO's frame.

It only takes a few breems to complete the full frame scan and the sides move into their default position again at the completion. There is a whirr and a verifying blip announcing the success of the scan and that the result has been saved in the scanner's databank.

Starscream turns his helm to look at Thundercracker, when the Winglord walks to stand beside him at the completion of the scan. He can sense that the scanner and the whole procedure about the scanning intrigue the dominant and smiles warmly to the blue seeker.

::Have you calmed a bit?:: He asks with a smile in his voice.

::Yes.:: Thundercracker answers him curtly, optics solely for Ratchet, and Starscreams smile just widens before he turns his attention back to his creator and Firstaid.

Skywarp, bored and feeling left out, joins them a few kliks later, and the two wilder seekers watches curiously as Firstaid plugs into the scanner and extracts the scanning's result from the scanner's databank. Starscream silently chuckles at the intensity of their curiosity, to him this is a quite boring and common sight, but for Thundercracker and Skywarp it is clearly deeply fascinating.

Both seekers jolt in surprise, when Firstaid with a flicker to a few latches causes a smaller scanner to suddenly disengage from the larger scanner's frame, and a tiny laughter escapes Starscreams vocalizer at the sight of Skywarps huge optics.

Thundercracker narrows his optics at the sight and takes a few steps forward to examine the strange occurring thing, and then retreats when he has deemed it non-threatening to his mates and Ratchet, but he keeps casting it suspicious glances.

Detailed parameters are inserted into the smaller scanner and Firstaid moves it to hover above Ratchet's helm before he adjusts the sides to rest against the CMO's temples. He activates it a klik later and it begins to circle Ratchet's helm, while it creates a thorough detailed scan of the processor's physical composition all the way down to the smallest wires connecting the internal hardware.

::No Thundercracker. This is what it does. It isn't causing any harm.:: Starscream explains soothingly, when Thundercracker begins to growl threateningly and cast the scanner renewed calculating optics.

::I don't like it.:: Thundercracker argues, claws flexing slightly at the sight of the rotating device around the red and white seeker's helm.

::I know, but trust me in this.:: Starscream answers calmly. Thundercracker replies with a grunt and the claws relax again, no longer preparing to tear the scanner apart.

While the scanner circles the helm, it creates layer upon layer of images – several thousands in total – and when the layers are viewed together, they are going to show the processor's current physical composition and the full extent of the changes to it and the systems connected to it. The procedure is tedious and time consuming, and when the scanner with a whirr and a blip signals the completion of the scan, Starscream and Firstaid are the only ones still standing by the berth.

The sound of calibrating equipment follows the completion, when the scanner adjusts back into its default parameters and then it stops moving a klik later. Firstaid plugs into it and extracts the large amount of stored data in its databank and transfers the several heavy files onto a datapad. The result of the full frame scan is transferred to another datapad and the younger medic begins to review the content.

Thundercracker's interest and curiosity is renewed with the movement around the berth and he rises from the floor. Skywarp protests a bit at losing his attention, but the Winglord ignores the black and purple seeker as he walks up to the berth and gently caresses along one of the twitching red and white wings.

The scanner lost his interest after the first half cycle when all it did was continue to circle the helm without anything new happening, and he had dragged Skywarp with him when he left Starscream alone at the berth and had settled on the floor to enjoy his black and purple mate's company.

A deep sigh escapes Ratchet's vocalizer at Thundercracker's gentle touch to his wing and he turns his helm to look up at the seeker with a smile. The Winglord easily pushes the large scanner still hanging over the berth away, and then kneels beside the berth before the seeker's claws begin to trail both of the red and white wings, massaging the stiffness and tension out of them.

There is nothing sexual in how the seeker's claws expertly eases away the growing itch in his wings and he begins to slowly relax into it, enjoying how the touch forces the stiffness and tension out of his wings. Pleasurable warmth spreads from the wings' sensor net and to the rest of his frame, lulling him into a docile state.

Another deep sigh escapes his vocalizer and he loses himself in the sensation. It is first when he feels Thundercracker's lips against his own in a gentle kiss that he realizes that he has offlined his optics. When he onlines them, the seeker is standing again, towering high above him beside the berth and he lifts his servo to trace a digit along his lips, still feeling the lingering touch of the seeker's lips.

He breathes deeply and then smiles widely up at the seeker.

"Thank you Thundercracker. I needed that." He murmurs with warmth in his voice. All tension is gone from his frame and he is still floating in a daze of contentment after the seeker's pampering of his wings. It feels so divine.

And then the moment is shattered by Firstaid's outburst.

"Primus, Ratchet!" The younger medic exclaims in deep shock, and Ratchet turns his attention to the medic.

"What is it 'Aid? Is there something wrong?!" He asks worried, and rises to sit up on the berth.

"You better see it for yourself." Firstaid answers, and offers him one of the datapads the medic is studying with a shocked expression.

He frowns as he begins to skim the content of it, realizing that it is the result of the full frame scan and that he is looking at his chest area. His frown deepens as his optics studies the changes to his sparkchamber, and it is then that he sees it.

"Primus!" He whispers in awe, mirroring Firstaid's exclamation.

His sharp digits trembles as he gently touches them to the surface of the datapad's screen.

He is so caught up in the sight of the tiny spark connected to his own inside his sparkchamber that the obvious changes to the sparkchamber and its surroundings don't matter to him right now.

His newspark.

It is there, right in front of him. He didn't know it would be this visible already and his spark fills with warmth at the sight.

"My little one."

A small sob leaves his vocalizer and he lifts his gaze to look up at Thundercracker, a stupid happy smile on his lips. He offers the datapad to the seeker and Thundercracker leans down a bit to look at it, showing curious interest, but doesn't know what Ratchet is trying to show him.

"See. There. Our newspark." Ratchet explains as he points at the contour of the tiny newspark, while tears begin to fall from his optics in happiness, but Thundercracker just stares confused at the datapad.

Starscream leans in and points at the newspark as well while he trills a row of lyrical intonations, clearly explaining to Thundercracker what Ratchet is trying to show him.

The large blue wings stiffen completely for several long kliks when Starscream finishes his explanation, and the Winglord studies the datapad with increased intensity. One of the seeker's large claws moves to caress along the image, and then Thundercracker looks up from it and meets his optics. He can see the Winglord's marvel in them and he nods, while his smile widens as he sees the understanding in the seeker's optics.

"Ours." He murmurs.

He never thought he would ever experience to have a creation truly his own and the gift the newspark is, is the greatest gift he ever could receive.

Thundercracker leans down and he sighs when their lips connect in a passionate kiss. He reciprocates and fills it with all his happy feelings at the prospect of experiencing what it feels like to give life from his own frame.

Starscreams carrier enters his thoughts for a moment, and he remembers the way the seeker had freed the seekerling from the connections to its spark and how it had affectionately placed Starscream on its chestplates and protected the newly born seekerling with its servos before it died.

The memory touches his spark deeply, and the knowledge that the newspark is going to develop into something akin to Starscream fills him with a joy he never has felt before. Sad tears begin to trail down his cheeks at the lingering memory of the dead carrier and Thundercracker, sensing his sudden change in mood, croons soothingly.

"I'm sorry to disturb you Ratchet, but the newspark wasn't what I wanted you to look at." Firstaid's soft voice breaks into his moment of chaotic feelings. The younger medic leans over the berth and reaches for the datapad again. Ratchet hands it back and Firstaid flickers a few buttons on it before he hands it back to the CMO.

"I want to hear your thoughts on that." Firstaid explains in a voice full of curious bemusement.

Ratchet stares down at the datapad in his servos. It is now showing the complete overview of the full frame scan and his optics follows the line of his frame from helm to feet. Now that he no longer is caught up in the close image of his newspark, everything stands clearer and he sees the full extent of the changes that are happening to his frame.

It shocks him to see how much he already has changed.

"Primus 'Aid, this is…" He looks up from the datapad and stares at Firstaid in a shock that mirrors the younger medic's.

It is hard to find a word that describes his feelings.

Impossible?

Unbelievable?

"…me?" He slowly finishes the question, and he returns his gaze to the datapad in disbelief.

Not a part of him is left untouched. Everything is changing, becoming alien, as foreign systems takes over his frame. If his former comrades are shocked by his outer appearance, then what happens when they learn about the full extent?

He keeps staring at the scan of his wings. They are the most obvious change to his outer self, even if they don't look like much, and seeing the complexity hidden beneath the plating, he realizes why seekers have a whole processing hub dedicated to their wings alone.

A labyrinth of interweaving sensor nodes, data wires, tension cables, energon lines and systems controlling the wings lies beneath their plating, connecting the wings physically to his frame and processor, while enabling the wings to move in smooth complex patterns, at will, or by emotions.

He marvels in the miracle he realizes that the wings in truth are, and understands that they need their own hub to be able to process all the data being communicated back and forth as well as analyzing the complex data transmitted from the wings while in flight.

Pit, just communicating deliberately with their wings must take up an extreme amount of processing power.

His gaze lingers on the wings for a while as he revels in their wonder.

The rest of his frame shows some of the same designs. The abundance in sensor nodes and wires transmitting the sensations to the processor is startling, and the labyrinth of complex sensory networks connected to the systems in his midsection is mindboggling. They easily rival the complexity of the wings, and that is something he didn't think was possible by how intricate the wing design are.

It is clear to him, looking at the complex networks of sensor nodes located all over his frame, that his new frame is meant to feel, and he shivers delighted at the remembered overloads Thundercracker gave him during their two times of sexual intimacy. It is no wonder why it felt so intense if this is how his internals are wired.

He follows the line of what he guesses is his valve and frowns at the strange occurrence connected to its end. The gestation chamber with the flexible tubing leading up to the bottom of the sparkchamber is a strange contraption among all the foreign systems, and he only sees it because he is paying close attention to the developing systems surrounding the valve.

Forty centimeter in diameter, it easily vanishes in all the other systems taking up space in his midsection.

The flexible tubing garners his interest and he follows it curiously as it vanishes deeper into his frame, leading all the way up to his enlarged sparkchamber where it connects to it. Still unaware of what happens during a seeker's heat, it poses a mystery to him.

Once again he stares affectionately at his newspark before he turns his attention back to examining the many changes that has and is happening to him.

The forming of a second fuel tank holds another mystery, and he stares fascinated at the strange design.

Why does he need two fuel tanks?

And why is it reinforced?

Nozzles cover its surface and he can see small holding tanks connected to them surrounding the fuel tank. His processor works to solve the mystery as he keeps studying the strange design, and it doesn't take long before a thought occurs to him.

Seekers are predators, they don't just feed on energon, but consumes their prey, and that means that they ingest large amounts of metal. The regular tank to energon isn't able to handle that, so they need another way to digest it and convert it into useful resources for their frames.

Following that line of thoughts another thought occurs to him and he pales when he realizes what the presence of the second fuel tank in his frame means for him. His mindset is still that of an autobot and it is so easy to distance himself from the seekers, even as he is turning into one.

He is becoming one of the predators and will need to kill to feed and the thought makes him nauseous.

Images flashes through his processor. His former comrades' fearful optics as he attacks them, kills them and then eats them, just like he has seen the seekers do during the war on Cybertron, just this time with himself as the killer.

The nausea grows and his tank churns and protests wildly when he suppresses the urge to purge its content. Dizziness swamps his processor and everything around him blurs. A strong clawed servo gently steadies him when Thundercracker prevents him from toppling off of the berth. The datapad clatters into his lap when his grip on it grows slack and distantly he hears someone speaking to him.

"Ratchet, are you okay?" Starscream asks him worriedly, and contours slowly returns to his sight when the seeker sits down on the berth beside him and stares into his pale blue almost white optics.

No, he is not okay, far from, and he shakes his helm in desperate denial to the question.

"What is it? What is wrong?" Starscream asks softly, the seeker's optics full of concern while the voice holds worry.

He offlines his optics and breathes in shakily, feeling how the cool sensation of the air flowing into his frame calms the urge to purge, and he breathes out slowly, releasing some of the stress in his frame with the air flowing out of his intake. It work wonders for the chaotic distress in his frame and his processor clears a bit as well.

When he onlines his optics again, Starscream sees the blue in the optics slowly return, and it eases some of the seeker's worry.

"I just realized that Hound is right. I am becoming a predator, a killer, and I can't wrap my processor around it. Primus, Starscream, how can I kill another being and feed from it? How have you been able to cope with that?" He asks the seeker in a shaky voice, the urge to purge slowly returning, becoming more persistent.

Starscreams optics shows so much care and understanding when the seeker leans in and hugs him in a tight embrace.

"It is okay Ratchet." He soothes, "I had a hard time adjusting to it as well, and it didn't help that Thundercracker the first time dumped an autobot right in front of me and expected me to kill it and feed from it. I can tell you it traumatized me, I still have nightmares about it, but Thundercracker now understands and accepts my reluctance to kill and does it for me." Starscream explains softly, fully understanding Ratchet's reaction to that new aspect of his life.

He knows it is going to be hard for the medic to accept that part of his new life, but he needs to, because Ratchet won't be able to survive without the added supplement of metal.

"Oh Primus, I'm going to purge!" Ratchet croaks, finally losing control over the urge to purge, and Firstaid hurries to offer him something to throw up in.

Starscream senses Thundercracker gently prod him, and the emotions that the dominant fills their bond with are full of confusion and worry for Ratchet. He looks up at the dominant when Ratchet begins to heave violently into the bucket Firstaid offers the CMO.

::He is okay, don't worry. He just realized, that his change into one of us entails that he will need to kill to feed.:: He softly explains to Thundercracker and caresses reassuringly along one of the taut blue wings.

The dominant remains silent, and when Thundercracker's optics turns distant, Starscream knows that the blue seeker is remembering the first time Thundercracker had forced him to kill, and how awfully wrong it went. The painful feelings flooding their bond from the dominant almost make him cry, and he senses how Skywarp invades their bond completely, and tries to force out the melancholy.

::We love you Thunder. Never doubt that.:: Skywarp soothes and envelopes Thundercracker's part of their bond in his deepest affections. Starscream mirrors his action, and together they manage to force the depression away, even if Thundercracker still fills the bond with sadness and regret.

::We need to merge with him soon. I don't like to see and feel him like this.:: Skywarp comments, worrying for their dominant.

It scares him every time Thundercracker reverts into the young insecure Winglord he was long before war happened for them. Their society has hardened due to that war and any show of weakness from Thundercracker is going to weaken his position as Winglord, emboldening the challengers to the position. As long as Thundercracker keeps a strong front and leads their people well, they are going to accept him, but at any show of weakness their faith in him as a capable leader dwindles.

::I agree. I don't think this examination of my creator is going to take much longer. Let's do it the moment we have him outside? Maybe take him on a joy flight and find a nice secluded spot?:: Starscream suggests with a little smile.

::That sounds good to me. Only the three of us…?:: Skywarp answers, wanting to have the moment for themselves. Ratchet is sweet and all, but a merge is something special for seekers and for them especially with their three-way bond.

::Only the three of us.:: Starscream smiles in response. He is sure Ratchet is going to be caught up in whatever the examination leads to and doesn't mind being left behind with Firstaid.

With that decided, both submissives return their full attention to Thundercracker, while Firstaid takes care of Ratchet.

"Do you still feel like purging?" Firstaid asks the CMO when the worst of the heaving slowly stops and Ratchet just breathes heavily down into the bucket. He can see the medic now and then grimace at the bitter taste and stale smell of partially processed energon.

"No, I think it is over." Ratchet answers with a groan and urges for the younger medic to remove the bucket. Firstaid offers him a small cube of medical grade energon when he has disposed of the bucket and Ratchet smiles weakly at the medic when he gratefully accepts it.

The medical grade energon slowly flows down his intake, the thick liquid coating it and instantly removing the bitter tastes and soothes the aches the heaving has caused to his systems. He sighs in deep contentment when it finally settles in his tank and stops the tiny painful convulsions from a completely empty tank. His optics offlines and he soaks in the feeling of calm suffusing his frame, everything around him for a moment forgotten.

"Have you recovered enough to tell me your thoughts on the result of your full frame scan?" Firstaid asks when Ratchet after a while onlines the optics again, looking so much better than before.

He nods and leans back on the berth, staring up at the ceiling, optics distant and thoughtful. Thundercracker has moved a bit away, and he hears calm murmuring from Starscream and small trills from Skywarp. When did the seekers move? He didn't feel Thundercracker remove the touch from his frame.

Then he pushes the thoughts away and turns his helm to look at Firstaid.

"I knew I was changing, but it surprises me to see how much I already have changed." He chooses his words carefully, and he frowns as he contemplates how he is going to integrate into his new society with the knowledge that he is becoming a killer. The worst shock of it has worn off, but he still feels nausea at the thought of killing another being. He is a medic, killing isn't in his coding, or wasn't. Can he even still call himself a medic when his coding is being demolished and he is unable to perform his duty?

He diverts his attention back to the tiles in the ceiling and follows their lines while he allows his thoughts to take over again.

"They are so complex, the seekers, with their advanced systems." Firstaid murmurs, taking the discarded datapad and studies the full frame scan again, his optics roaming the wings and the complex systems in chest and midsection.

"There is no sign of your thrusters forming yet, even if there are new larger energon lines forming in your legs. Oh, and see, your jaws and jawline is changing, I didn't see that before." The younger medic comments a bit subdued due to Ratchet's passivity, but still clearly fascinated by the changes.

That seems to wake Ratchet from his lightly depressed state and he turns his helm again to look at the younger medic. Firstaid shows him the datapad and points at what has caught the younger medic's attention.

The jawline is changing, becoming broader and stronger, clearly to accommodate his fangs and sturdier dentas. He is like hypnotized when he lifts a servo and touches a digit to feel at his jaws and relief floods his spark when there is no indication of the fangs breaking through anytime soon.

He can't handle more right now. There is already too much going on, too many shocks and surprises.

Firstaid subspaces the datapad and then hesitates before he offers Ratchet the other datapad.

"I know you have had a shock, but you have to see this as well." The younger medic explains softly, giving no indication of what is on the datapad and Ratchet takes it as if it is a ticking time bomb.

It is the result of the processor scan.

When he flickers it online, a 3D image of his processor emerges on the screen and he tiredly stares at it. It comes without any surprise that there are changes to his processor, not with how much is going on in the rest of his frame. What does surprise him is the sight of the changes. Autobots and Decepticons are created with a total of three processing hubs, the 3D image shows five constructed and three more under construction.

He is going to have a total of eight processing hubs.

Once again he wonders, just like the time when he installed Starscreams special comm. line, why seekers need so much processing power. One of the newly constructed hubs, he knows, is the one controlling his wings, or he wouldn't be able to move or even feel them, the other, however, he has no clue as to what purpose holds. And the remaining three under constructing is just as much a mystery, but he guess he is going to find out when they are complete.

"I see what you mean 'Aid." He replies tiredly when he has stared long enough at the strange new design of his processor. Just like Starscreams, his processor is now a tangled network of wires circling the hubs and connecting them to each other in an interweaving labyrinth of lines.

"You do realize what this means, right?" Firstaid asks him rhetorically; voice impossibly light, no emotions showing. It is a tone of voice Ratchet is intimately familiar with. One he and every other medic uses when they explains to a patient that there is nothing more that can be done and that the patient is going to die.

"Yes. It is irreversible." He answers in the same tone of voice.

Firstaid nods solemnly.

It hurts to accept that there is nothing that he can do for the CMO.

They just got Ratchet back and are now losing him again, this time to the changes.

But, as he thinks about it, maybe it is for the better.

It is clear to him that Ratchet despite the recent shocks seems to fit in perfectly with the seekers, and the CMO's close interaction with the Winglord clearly speaks about the deep affections between the two. And then he has to remember that Ratchet is sparked with the leading seeker's offspring. Thundercracker isn't going to let go on Ratchet or accept that they try to reverse the changes, had it been possible for them to do so.

The choice was already made for Ratchet the instant Thundercracker sparked him.

"I have decided to not do the examination of your spark and sparkchamber, I don't know if it is going to hurt your newspark, and I don't want to enrage Thundercracker again, but I guess you still want that scan of your internal systems?" He asks Ratchet with a sad little smile.

"Yes, I would still like that." Ratchet answers, mirroring the younger medic's sad smile and allows access to one of his medical ports.

Defensive systems rouse in frenzy the instant Firstaid plugs into him, and Ratchet has no time to warn the medic before the attack happens. A deadly surge of energy is lead directly into Firstaid's connected systems and the force of it throws the medic out of him and into the air, on collision course with one of the far walls.

Ratchet's terror at the sight of Firstaid flying through the air transmits to the Winglord through the essence and it rouses Thundercracker into action. The dominant turns sharply, attention drawn to the red and white carrier and what is frightening Ratchet.

::Skywarp!::

The black and purple seeker reacts on instinct at the sound of Thundercracker's unvoiced order, instantly dematerializing only to rematerialize in front of Firstaid, absorbing the force of the medic's movement and slams into the wall together with him, protecting the grounder from the devastating force of the impact.

Firstaid stares shocked at Skywarp when the black and purple seeker with several loud groans collapses to the floor, bringing him with it. The seeker is aware enough to not collapse onto him, and he stares in what feels like an eternity when the seeker's optics offlines for a few long kliks as its systems recovers from the shock of the jarring impact.

Starscream walks over to them and chirrs something to Skywarp. The black and purple seeker answers with a few distorted trills and satisfied that Skywarp is okay, Starscream turns his attention to Firstaid and kneels in front of the medic.

"Are you okay Firstaid?" Starscream asks, optics searching him worriedly.

"Wh-what happened?" He croaks in confusion.

His systems feel like he just took a direct hit from one of Ironhide's cannons.

"You activated internal defenses." Starscream explains with an apology and reaches for the wire the medic used to connect to Ratchet's systems. He studies it with a deepening frown, noticing that the first part of it is completely incinerated, while the rest leading into Firstaid's frame is turned into unrecognizable melted slag.

"Primus!" Firstaid exclaims, staring with wide optics at the destroyed data wire Starscream holds between two claws.

"Indeed." The seeker muses out loud, and then snaps out of contemplative thoughts and discards the data wire.

"His systems are inaccessible to you. I didn't know that his defenses would be online already or I would have prevented you from trying to enter them. They are going to kill you if you try to enter him again." Starscream explains seriously while pinning Firstaid with his most dire stare.

"But Ratchet-"

"No Firstaid." Starscream interrupts him, "Don't even think about entering him again. It. Will. Kill. You!" The seeker growls the last words in a grave warning and fixates his optics with merciless yellow, determined to get the medic to understand what he by pure fragging luck survived.

The intensity of a defensive attack from the internal defenses is more vicious if the seeker is carrying, more potent and aware of threats to the systems. That is why Ratchet's experience with the internal defenses back when Starscream refused the trine coding only did little damage to the plug and nothing more. It just threw the medic out of Starscream instead of trying to terminate whatever had tried to enter the tricolored seeker's systems.

"Our internal defenses are completely out of our control and almost a living being of its own. It needs to be like that to deal with threats to our systems. We don't have medics like you do; we rely completely on our self-repair, internal defenses and nanites to remain healthy." Starscream explains seriously and grabs the data wire to once again show Firstaid the extent of the damage done to it in a silent warning of what is going to happen to his systems if he dares try to enter Ratchet's systems again.

"I see." Firstaid answers thoughtful, reluctantly accepting defeat at the information Starscream provides him. Once again seeing the extent of the damages he is aware that it is a miracle he survived the attack, and knows that he won't survive a repeat of such an attack to his systems.

"We do have what is called healers, but they are extremely rare because their abilities rely on spark sigmas." Starscream adds, offering the medic a servo to help him up.

"Spark sigmas?" Firstaid asks as he gratefully takes the offered servo. His systems still feel sluggish from the charged energy the attack sent through his frame and he wobbles slightly when he rises to his feet.

"You are already familiar with Skywarps, his teleportation, and I am sure you have seen Thundercracker's during the war on Cybertron, his ability to unleash sonic booms. Those abilities come from their spark sigmas, related to their sparks. Not everyone have sigmas, I don't, and only Thundercracker knows how many exists and who possess them." Starscream explains while he kneels to gently help Skywarp up from the floor.

"That's fascinating."

Their sparks are still a great mystery and has always been a large part of their culture, centered on The Matrix. No one knows the true origin of the relic other than what ancient sloppily translated texts has told, and no one knows anything about Vector Sigma's origin. The super computer isn't even mentioned in any texts, it seems like it just existed as a part of their society without any history of its own, despite the fact that it is a marvel to behold.

He wants to ask more questions to learn more about the seekers version of the mystery, but just then Skywarp groans and several whimpers of pain escapes the seeker as Starscream slowly steadies the black and purple seeker back onto its thrusters. One of the black wings are hanging lifelessly down the seeker's back and Skywarp leans heavily onto Starscream when the seeker begins to sway dangerously, unable to keep the balance with one of his wings unresponsive.

With a gentle croon Starscream leads Skywarp over to a nearby berth and begins to treat the injuries with nanites. Firstaid is about to follow them, but realizes when Starscream coughs that they won't need his help in repairing Skywarp, and instead he turns his attention onto Ratchet.

It comes as a surprise that Thundercracker now is resting on the berth together with the CMO. The seeker's large blue wings are hanging lazily down the far side of the berth while the seeker is restraining Ratchet, a clawed servo forcing the medic's helm back, exposing the neck. Embracing Ratchet almost possessively Thundercracker is keeping the CMO silent in a fierce kiss, the seeker's yellow optics fixated on Firstaid as the younger medic carefully walks closer.

A threatening growl escapes the Winglord when Firstaid gets close enough to see that Ratchet is struggling against the seeker, trying to get free from Thundercracker's possessive grip. He can see the tears running down the CMO's cheeks while Ratchet tries to fiercely break the seeker's kiss, but Thundercracker doesn't relent.

Firstaid is in turmoil.

He is certain Thundercracker is going to attack him if he tries to reach for Ratchet and he doesn't dare move, unsure if that is going to tick the Winglord off as well.

In rising panic, seeing Ratchet's fear so clearly in the wide watery optics he turn his helm slightly, staring towards Starscream and Skywarp, silently pleading for help.

Thundercracker means it well, he is certain of that, but this is too much for Ratchet right now.

Starscream turns as if sensing his stare and it only takes the tricolored seeker a nano klik to understand.

/THUNDERCRACKER!/ Starscream roars in fury and is by Ratchet instantly, slicing into the Winglord's possessive grip until Thundercracker lets go on the medic.

There is some fierce posturing from both seekers, Thundercracker baring his fangs and snarling in rage, Starscream mirroring it a klik later, too angry to cower at the rage in the dominant. The Winglord towers over Starscream, blue wings raised high in aggression, spreading wide in a show of dominance. In turn Starscream bends slightly in his knees while he defiantly raises his own wings, flaring them as wide as they can go.

The submissive is prepared for the attack from the dominant if Thundercracker chooses to punish him, prepared to protect his creator from the Winglord. Meanwhile a flurry of communication floods their bond and lastly all aggression bleeds from both their frames, no damage done, Starscreams wings held a slight bit higher than usual, signaling him as the winner of their internal argument.

Ratchet bolt from the berth the instant Thundercracker let's go on him and almost tackles Firstaid.

"It is okay Ratchet, I am okay." He soothes, hugging Ratchet's trembling frame.

"Primus 'Aid, I thought I had killed you!" Ratchet exclaims through tears, gripping onto the younger medic's frame as if it is a lifeline.

"But you didn't." He states calmly, gently shushing the CMO.

"I'm so sorry! It happened so fast, I had no chance to warn you." Ratchet sobs, clinging even more to the other medic, his grip so fierce that his sharp digits begin to breach Firstaid's plating.

"It is okay Ratchet. Don't think about it. Starscream says it is your internal defenses acting up, which means that it is impossible for me to perform a scan of your internal systems." He explains, deciding not to tell Ratchet the extent of the damage caused, it is just going to horrify the CMO more and they don't need that right now.

"Forget the internal scan. All that matters to me is that you are alive." Ratchet answers as sternly as anyone can with tears still running down the cheeks. His desperate grip on the younger medic intensifies just for a moment before he slowly eases it and Firstaid winces at the feeling of the wounds created by the clawed tips.

"Are you okay?" Starscream interrupts them when the seeker kneels beside Ratchet and draws the medic into a close affectionate embrace. His wings are still flared in slight aggression from his heated argument with Thundercracker, sending clear signals for the Winglord to stay away.

"Yes. Thank you Starscream." Ratchet answers with a little smile, leaning into the embrace. His gaze moves to linger on Thundercracker. The dominant is only visible in the corner of his optics as it stands by the berth, wings unusually subdued and he sees the cant of apology visible in them.

It is rare for dominants to cry. They are the protectors. They can't show the same weaknesses as the submissive seekers do, but right now Thundercracker is on the verge of breaking. Despair and fear of losing the carrier, of seeing hate and fear enter the red and white seeker's optics, a hate directed at him because of what he did.

What did he do wrong?

Starscreams harsh words in their bond telling him what he might have done and warning him off repeats on loop in his processor as the despair grows and the first tear trails down his cheek. The feeling of the wet trail shocks him and he lifts a claw to caress it away, staring incredulous at the wet shine on the tip.

"Thundercracker."

He startles at the sound of the voice and diverts his attention to the red and white seeker suddenly standing in front of him. His gaze moves from Ratchet and to Starscream, uncertain, but his mate just turns the back to him and walks over to finish his treatment of Skywarp, leaving Thundercracker alone with Ratchet.

"Thundercracker."

He offlines his optics when the submissive begins the ritual, soaking in the affection showed in the gentle caresses. The next moment he onlines them and decides to for once interrupt the ritual, but he doesn't intend to take, only give.

Ratchet startles and takes a small step back when Thundercracker begins to kneel in front of him. The large blue wings moves when Thundercracker reaches for the red and white seeker, embracing it with their greatest care. When Ratchet leans into him, accepting the affectionate hug, Thundercracker feels how the worry in his spark slowly eases.

/I love you./ He purrs gently into the red and white seeker's audio, well aware that Ratchet don't understand the words.

A look towards Starscream has him staring into the tricolored seeker's optics.

::You are a good dominant Thundercracker, but you are a bit too overprotective at times.:: Starscream explains calmly, any lingering aggression completely gone. ::Do you want me to translate your words?:: Starscream then asks after a small hesitation.

Thundercracker looks down at the red and white seeker and how openly Ratchet welcomes his show of affection. ::No.:: He answers with a small shake of his helm.

It is better for the red and white submissive to not know what feelings the Winglord harbors for it. Ratchet doesn't belong to him as his submissive, only as the carrier to his newspark, and when the seekerling is born the red and white seeker is going to belong to another dominant. Thundercracker will then have no claim on him, other than being his leader.

::I know you will find him a good dominant, if not the dominant finds him first.:: Starscream adds with a sad smile to the melancholy once again rising inside Thundercracker.

The Winglord nods, melting into the feeling of the red and white seeker hugging him back.

Ratchet is the one to break it a breem later, slowly taking a step back and easing out of the Winglord's embrace. Thundercracker is reluctant to let go and first when Ratchet leans in and gently kisses him on the lips does the dominant allow him to leave the embrace of the large blue wings.

Firstaid is standing by the microscope, studying the test on the armor samples when Ratchet a few breems later walks over to him.

"There is no change to your armor density or integrity." The younger medic comments when he senses the CMO walk up beside him, not lifting his gaze from the sample in the microscope as the test of the armor's density is performed.

"What about the composition?" Ratchet asks curiously.

"It is normal except for a few anomalies to the inner layers of your armor." Firstaid answers and lifts his gaze from the microscope to offer him a datapad.

"What kind of anomalies?" Ratchet asks bemused when he takes the datapad and begins to scroll through the results.

"I have been unable to identify some of the compositions. They turn up as unknown to our medical database." Firstaid explains with a frown.

"Unknown?" The CMO muses interested and scrolls through the long list of compositions. Their armor composes of 84 different compositions and as he scrolls down the list, they are all listed within their right parameters. Then when he reaches the bottom of the list five unidentified pops up, their parameters extremely high, marking them as key compositions.

He looks up in surprise, meeting Firstaid's gaze.

"This can't be right."

"I have run the test several times Ratchet, it shows the same result every time." Firstaid points out, reading the CMO's thought that something must be wrong with the test.

Ratchet looks down at the datapad again, thoughtful.

"Have we ever run tests on seeker armor to actually determine its compositions?" He then asks, frowning at the result.

"Not this thoroughly. I remember we did a bit on Starscream in his early stages, but only a few scrapes on his outer armor. These compositions only exists in the inner most layers of your armor." Firstaid answers.

His frown deepens at yet another mystery. There is no doubt what it means, but he would still like to know what these compositions purpose are if not to strengthen the armor. Since they are key elements, they clearly hold great importance.

"What of the energon sample?" He asks, leaving the mystery for later when he can persuade Starscream to give up a sample to compare with.

"I haven't looked at it yet." Firstaid answers, walking over to the machine still working on the energon sample. Stopping the process he takes out several small tubes.

Their bodily energon consists of four core components, each having their own purpose in keeping the frame functional and energized. The most essential of those are the purified fluid filling their energon lines, transporting the energy to all their systems. It is mainly that part they replenish through drops if a mech loses too much energon. The other three components are actually what keep their frames running with energy, and it is those that they are able to split from the basic purified fluid their energon mostly consist of.

Applying a drop from one of the tubes onto a clean microscope slide and covering it with a cover glass Firstaid inserts the sample in the microscope and bends to study it.

The sample of purified fluid looks completely inconspicuous as Firstaid adjusts the strength of the microscope to study it closer. Usually if a mech is sick the fluid will be cloudy, but Ratchet's looks clear and healthy.

"Everything looks good. There is no trace of the disease or anything else happening to your energon." He replies after a while, withdrawing the slide and inserts another.

The study of the second and third sample shows nothing unusual either and Firstaid smiles reassuringly when he inserts the fourth slide.

"What the-…?!"

Ratchet straightens at the younger medic's outburst and nervously watches as Firstaid leans in further against the microscope, clearly studying whatever has the medic surprised.

"You have to see this." Firstaid murmurs excitedly before he withdraws from the microscope and gestures for Ratchet to take a look.

He hesitates; Firstaid's strong reaction fills him with dread at what he is going to see.

What has Firstaid this excited?

The sight that greets him when he gathers enough courage shocks him.

His energon is alive or there is something in it that is alive, moving around.

He lifts his gaze from the microscope, wide optics meeting Firstaid's eager ones.

"What is that?!" He asks, almost demands.

"I have a vague idea. Starscream treated Sideswipe with nanites, and I think that this is something similar, just inside you…" Firstaid explains, then hesitates, optics widening.

"Primus! It must be your internal self-repair! And…"

"Oh PRIMUS! Starscream transfused some of his energon to you! Their energon must be a part of their internal self-repair. Something must have gone wrong and instead of just healing you of the disease it is attacking all your systems. It is the internal self-repair that is changing you!" Firstaid's exuberant exclamation is like a stab to his spark.

This is what the god meant about Starscream?

An infusion of seeker energon and you are changed into one?

No, it can't be that easy. There must be something else going on. Starscream might have started it, but he is certain that the god is influencing as well, why else would Primus seek him out as the god had?

He frowns, staring at the microscope in contemplating silence.

"We need to be certain about this. We need to copy the circumstances under which my change began. Get a syringe Firstaid; we will use your energon." He muses out loud.

Firstaid offers him a syringe and he fumbles a bit before he manages to take a sample of the younger medic's energon. He fills a petri dish with Firstaid's energon before he adds a small amount from the fourth tube to it, then they wait a few breems to allow the two fluids to mingle and react with each other.

A drop is placed on a slide and curiously he inserts it in the microscope and leans in to study the result.

To his surprise nothing has happened and he leans back with a deepening frown. Firstaid leans in to take a look and the younger medic frowns as well.

"What are we missing? Why isn't it reacting to my energon?" Firstaid wonders bemused, so certain that they had found the answer to why Ratchet began to change.

"You are right. We are missing something." Ratchet realizes and walks over to a work bench, rummaging for a short moment before he withdraws a batch of test tubes.

"This." He explains and holds up the long row of tubes housing various samples of diseases. They mostly use them to create serums in case a disease breaks out among the crew.

A new sample of Firstaid's energon is taken and a new petri dish is filled before Ratchet carefully choses among the tubes housing the various diseases. He offers the chosen tube to Firstaid, realizing that with his new digits he is unable to handle the procedure with the care it needs to. The disease isn't going to kill anyone if it is spread, but it is a waste of resources to spent time curing something that they could have prevented from spreading in the first place.

"One drop." He warns the younger medic.

Firstaid nods seriously and with steady servos opens the lid on the tube and with a pipette withdraws a tiny amount. One drop is added to the sample of energon and then Firstaid is decontaminating his servos when the tube is placed back among the others.

They wait for a few breems, allowing the disease to infect the energon and then add a few drops of the infected energon to the other petri dish.

The energon is stirred to make sure the fluids mix and then Ratchet takes a sample drop and adds it to a slide and inserts it into the microscope.

Unsurprising to him the reaction is instantaneously.

The internal self-repair located in his energon instantly attacks the infected energon, killing the disease, but then something peculiar happens and before his optics he watches as Firstaid's energon changes while the living beings located in his energon multiplies in frenzy.

"You are right. This is how it happened. The disease acted as a catalyst. It activated the self-repair in Starscreams energon and it must have seen my whole frame as a mutation. It is trying to reverse it back into what is within its normal parameters." Ratchet whispers unbelieving looking up from the microscope.

"But that means-"Firstaid protests as he leans in to study the sample in the microscope.

"That it isn't just me. Everyone can be changed if the right circumstances are present." Ratchet finishes when Firstaid stops midsentence to marvel in the sight in the microscope.

"An infection." The younger medic murmurs when he lifts his gaze to stare in wonder at Ratchet.

"And an infusion with seeker energon." Ratchet adds thoughtful.

"But how is this even possible?" Firstaid asks, there are still so many unanswered questions and they don't understand the reason for this to happen right now. The procedure is simply way too easy to not rouse suspicion in him. Nothing this radical is ever easy.

"I don't know 'Aid and I wonder what Thundercracker is going to say to this." Ratchet sighs. It is impossible to know how the Winglord is going to react to this bit of information.

"He already knows." Both medics turn at the sound of Starscreams voice and stares as the three seekers walks over to them.

Thundercracker is completely unreadable when they stare up at the Winglord. Nothing gives away what emotions and thoughts fill the seeker's processor and the pulsing of their sparks increases. Ratchet's wings twitch when the silence stretches on.

They need to know what Thundercracker is going to do with this information.

"Ratchet." Starscream calls to get their attention and when they turn to look at the tricolored seeker, Starscreams expression is that of great severity.

"Every single one of the autobots has to go through the change. There is no compromise. If they don't, then they become prey for us. He can't protect them if they remain grounders, he can't justify protecting them if they refuse. This is already going to be a mess when we return home and he can't afford to be seen as weak. Your survival relies on him remaining in power. Do you understand Ratchet?!" Starscream's optics burns with determination as he mercilessly fixates Ratchet's gaze.

Firstaid takes a step back in shock, optics staring between the three seekers to finally linger on Ratchet.

"You can't be serious!" He exclaims in panic.

The Winglord flares the large wings, baring the fangs in a threatening growl reinforcing Starscreams words.

Become one of them or die.

"We will give you time to think." With that the three seekers turns around almost in sync and leaves the medbay.

* * *

I hope you like how this one turned out. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I have tried to cover everything, but i am sure there is something i have missed to address.


	19. Chapter 19

Interlude. What is happening on Cybertron in Thundercracker's absence?

**Warnings: Sexual content.**

* * *

Cybertron, approximately five orns after Thundercracker's departure:

Crossfire stares affectionately down at Starfall. The submissive is curled into a ball protecting the newspark they have created together only few breems before. There is simply nothing more beautiful than a carrier in the first moments of the carrying period.

With a gentle caress to the shivering wings he rises, allowing Risingsun to take care of their sparked trinemate.

/Take good care of him. I have to go and see Swiftstrike, but if there is anything, find me. I don't care if you disturbs us, just find me, okay?/ He murmurs to the other submissive. Risingsun nods in silence and then curl protectively around the carrier when the dominant walks away.

The sparking had been hard for Starfall.

When the heat surfaced Crossfire had been cycles away on patrol and unaware of the pain one of his submissives suffered during his absence. Unsurprisingly Starfall had attacked him desperately the instant he had landed, the alluring aroma sending the dominant to his knees in a rush of lust and need.

The images of their mating rouse a renewed fire inside him and he forcefully suppresses them. Their clan leader has demanded his presence this night and he can't delay more than he already has.

Swiftstrike has been strangely silent and withdrawn the last few orns, ever since Thundercracker temporarily transferred leadership and left. No one but the temporary Winglord knows why their Winglord left or where to.

Thundercracker's absence worries all their people. Clan leaders has been by the 'Swiftstrike' clan asking questions, but Swiftstrike keeps silent and Spitfire eventually forces them to leave.

So little time has passed since the last challenges and to suddenly be leaderless again, despite Swiftstrike trying to keep their people together, shakes them all. That Spitfire is almost glued to the temporary Winglord in Thundercracker's absence just intensifies the worry for a violent aftermath when the Winglord does return.

And this meeting with Swiftstrike, so late and in a secluded area of their clan rouses suspicion inside him that something isn't right. His instincts scream at him about an unseen danger and his wings twitches nervously.

Where is Thundercracker?

Why did their Winglord leave them again?

Most of their people are recharging right now or about to settle for recharge. It is an uncommon time for a meeting.

As he walks towards the edge of the clearing, he sees the outline of the clan leader's wings in the dim darkness. Spitfire is standing a short distance away from Swiftstrike, yellow optics staring intently at Crossfire as he walks closer. The temporary Winglord is standing with wings and back turned to him, staring up into the night sky and the glinting stars. At a small hiss from Spitfire Crossfire stops a short distance away, waiting for Swiftstrike to acknowledge his presence.

/You wanted to see me Winglord?/ He vocalizes calmly, ignoring the large red dominant standing close by as a looming shadow.

Spitfire is his creator's creation, visible in both frame and mind and Crossfire can see why Thundercracker encourages the younger dominant. Spitfire possesses the same love and care for their people as his Sire and while he is high ranking, he isn't as violent as most dominants holding the same rank. He is confident in his strength and power, but doesn't utilize it uselessly. He defends what is dear to him, and follows his Sire's examples. Thundercracker might feel that his encouraging of the younger dominant is a failure, but Spitfire actually learns and uses the knowledge the Winglord teaches him in his own ways, shaping his own identity.

Just like Thundercracker, Spitfire is a defender.

Most Winglords are defenders; through their leadership they strive to shield and protect their people with their stronger frames and improved skills. Opposed to the defender Winglord, some Winglords has during times been fighters, enacting wars on the ground bound transformers. Death and destruction has followed in their wake, reducing the numbers dangerously and usually following a fighter Winglord, a defender Winglord takes over, unable to sit idle and watch the people suffer. Fighter Winglord's never reign for long, but their effect on the people is great.

With Thundercracker as a defender and not a fighter, it is most unlikely that Spitfire ever is going to challenge his Sire. There is nothing prompting him to intervene and kill Thundercracker. If he had existed during Thundercracker's insanity he might have reacted, but he didn't and his birth cured Thundercracker of most of it.

When silence is his only answer Crossfire lowers his wings in a submissive display to the large red dominant and walks the last distance to stop beside Swiftstrike. Not even then does the clan leader acknowledge him and he lifts his gaze to stare up into the night sky, mirroring the black and grey dominant.

It is obvious, with how unaware he is, that Swiftstrike is caught up in thoughts and trusts Spitfire to guard him from harm. Crossfire silently watches the clan leader out of the corner of the optics. Something is clearly troubling the black and grey dominant and he silently waits for when Swiftstrike decides to tell him the reason for this meeting.

He is Thundercracker's lieutenant, only superseded in power by the members of the Winglord Trine, and whatever the temporary Winglord has called him here for, it has to be extremely important.

/I have orders for you Crossfire./ Swiftstrike explains when he finally breaks the silence and turns to face the red and grey dominant, optics hard.

Crossfire flickers a wing to indicate that he is listening, but remains silent, waiting for the clan leader to elaborate.

/As you know Thundercracker has been gone for five orns now. What you don't know is the reason why he left and the orders he gave me at his departure. I had hoped that he would have returned by now, but he hasn't, and thus I have orders for you from him./ Swiftstrike begins to explain in a deeply serious voice and Crossfire feels the sense of danger that he has felt for a while now coalescence in his spark.

/His order for you is that you are to lead a strike force to locate him wherever he is, if he hasn't returned within a solar cycle. That time grows near and I have taken the liberty to contact some of the other clans to gather the seekers you will need. You will be leading a strike force of more than two hundred seekers./ The clan leader continues in the same tone of voice, almost growling. When Swiftstrike finishes speaking the black and grey dominant returns the gaze to the stars and, pondering the order, Crossfire does likewise.

/Do we know where he went?/ He asks after a while, realizing that Swiftstrike hasn't said anything about where Thundercracker is.

/He said you would know. Do you know what he meant by that?/ Swiftstrike replies with a frown, turning to face the red and grey dominant again, gauging him with a searching glance.

Crossfire's optics widens for a klik before he regains control over his emotions and he nods slowly, contemplating, when he meets Swiftstrike's stare.

/Yes, I know what he meant. Have you chosen all the seekers to follow me or can I make some choices of my own?/ He asks hesitantly. If Thundercracker is where he believes the Winglord is, then he would very much prefer to have the seekers familiar with the alien planet with him on this adventure.

/There are a few mandatory and I want you to take Silvershade and his trine with you, but beyond that it is all up to you to choose between the members of our clan and the seekers the other clans sends. I don't want to have the strike force to consist only of our own clan members; it would weaken us dangerously if so many of our strongest members left for an unforeseeable amount of time./ Swiftstrike answers seriously.

Sky Above.

Swiftstrike's words hit Crossfire with a sudden realization and he groans inwardly.

What is he to do with Starfall? Should the submissive follow him or stay behind? Just the thought of leaving his newly sparked carrier behind rouses his protective coding in frenzy and he barely manage to quell the instinct to run back to his resting area and make sure that his submissives are okay.

/What is it Crossfire?/ The clan leader asks, seeing the sudden tension in the red and grey dominant's frame.

/I just sparked Starfall./ He replies with a deep sigh.

The black and grey dominant's features soften and he gently pats the red and grey dominant on the shoulder in a rare show of affection.

/Would you prefer to stay home? I can find someone else to lead the forces. I know Thundercracker will understand./ The clan leader asks, fully understanding Crossfire's sudden dilemma.

He desperately wants to take the offer, his coding screams at him to accept it. Last time they visited the alien planet some of their people almost didn't make it. Sky Above, it is a miracle that Skywarps seekerling survived the trials. And now he is about to send his carrier and newspark into an unknown adventure on that very same planet.

A distant meteor shower lights up the night sky and he marvels in the sight while his processor works feverishly to come up with a decision.

If he is to keep Starfall and their newspark safe, then he will have to abandon Thundercracker.

With a deep sigh, he offlines his optics and Swiftstrike can see the red and grey seeker's inner turmoil displayed in the erratic twitches of the large wings.

/Thundercracker might understand why I stay home, but you know just like me that if he demands me, then he has a very good reason to do so. I can't fail him, even if I would prefer to keep Starfall and our newspark safe by staying home./ Crossfire answers determined when he onlines his optics again. It pains him to make this decision and his protective coding keeps screaming at him, but Thundercracker trusts him to be there when the Winglord demands it. It is the burden of his high position in their society.

Swiftstrike acknowledges his decision with a nod and a little smile.

The clan leader knew this would be the reaction to his offer.

Crossfire is one of Thundercracker's most trusted and loyal seekers. There is a special bond between the Winglord Trine and Crossfire's and Silvershade's trines. The two high ranking dominants has proven their loyalty and worth through the trials they have been through together with the members of the Winglord Trine. Silvershade and his trine has saved Skywarp's life more times than anyone can count during the time of Thundercracker's insanity and Crossfire has proved himself to the Winglord during the trials on Earth. All three trines are ready to defend and protect each other if needed and Silvershade and Crossfire is allowed closer to Thundercracker's family than any other dominant. There is an uncommon spark deep trust between the three dominants.

It is also the reason why Crossfire stands unrivaled as Thundercracker's lieutenant. No one dare to challenge the red and grey seeker on the position in fear of what Thundercracker will do. Every dominant has the right to challenge Crossfire for the prominent position, but it doesn't mean that they automatically will have the Winglord's favor if they do win the position.

Thundercracker can be rather merciless when he wants to and it serves a purpose.

/There is no need to worry Crossfire. Starfall with be safe with both you and Thundercracker nearby. You know that our Winglord won't allow any harm to come to a carrier. He is going to protect your trinemate and his newspark viciously should it be needed. I can't imagine any place safer than in the vicinity of our Winglord./ Swiftstrike reassures with a glance towards Spitfire.

/Sire has always been rather overprotective towards his mates and carriers in general. Your mates will be safe. Carrier and carra are strong submissives, they are going to take good care of your carrier and newspark if you or Sire can't./ The red dominant adds humorously, the elegant baritone in his voice vibrating in the air around them. Not as impressive as Thundercracker's, but distinct enough to know who sired the dominant.

Spitfire and Swiftstrike's words reassures him, and he relaxes as his coding slowly eases. Of course Thundercracker will protect Starfall. What worries him is why the Winglord isn't returning. And Swiftstrike still hasn't said anything about why Thundercracker left in the first place.

/Spitfire is going to stay home and, in case it is needed, enact his rights as Thundercracker's eldest dominant creation. If it is needed I am going to transfer all the rights of leadership to him. He is strong enough to execute our ancient rules in Thundercracker's absence and I hope it is going to keep the dissident and feuds between and within the clans at a minimum while most of our strongest seekers are gone. I don't want something like last time happening. Our society is still healing from the instability./ Swiftstrike adds nodding towards Spitfire, who straightens and then bows submissively before the clan leader.

/I am at your disposition Winglord./ The red dominant pledges, almost purring.

It shocks Crossfire to see the young dominant bow this submissively, but it verifies without any doubts that Spitfire is a defender. His urge to protect and defend is showed in the way the dominant offers himself to be used for the good of their people if the need arise. If he has to, Spitfire is taking upon himself to go through what Thundercracker did at the Winglord's return those many lunar cycles ago.

/May I ask why Thundercracker left in the first place?/ He asks hesitantly, curious as to what could cause the Winglord to leave so suddenly.

Swiftstrike acknowledges Spitfire's offer before he looks to Crossfire with a foreboding look.

/Starscream. That is all that I know./ The clan leader explains darkly.

Sky Above!

Let them be safe.

/When do I leave?/ He asks, renewed worry seizing his spark. He is already memorizing who to visit to give the order for their departure.

/Depending on how fast the clans are to react to my order, within the next two orns. Do what you must to prepare for your departure, but be ready to move out within the next orn. I want to dispatch your forces as quickly as possible. It is impossible to know what is holding up Thundercracker. You need to be prepared for everything and anything./ Swiftstrike impels.

/I will be ready. If that is all, then I will take my leave and begin to prepare./ Crossfire answers dutifully, acknowledging both of the other dominants with a dip of his wings.

/Go and be with your carrier. Reassure him that everything will be fine and then do what you must to be ready within an orn./ Swiftstrike replies and answers with a dip of his own wings. Spitfire does likewise and with that Crossfire turns around and walks back to the center of the resting area.

One orn isn't much time to scout the area around the space bridge and prepare the seekers who are to leave together with him. Even if he very much would prefer to go back and curl around Starfall and whisper reassuring words in the carrier's audios, while the other relaxes and recharges, there is something he needs to do before he can do that.

Instead of walking back to his own resting area he sets the course towards where Silvershade's are located.

As he closes in on the other dominant's resting area he can see that Silvershade isn't recharging yet. In fact the white and silver seeker is enjoying the pleasures of Allevaria. Crossfire stops a distance away to not disturb the other dominant.

He watches with a smug grin as Silvershade gently caresses the submissive's helm before the dominant takes a harsh hold on it and forces it back to expose the vulnerable neck cables. A stuttering moan escapes the red and blue submissive and yellow optics widens in pain and pleasure when Silvershade strikes for the delicate energon lines in the neck, fangs piercing them.

The dominant's thrusts into the valve grows more forceful and Allevaria overloads hard when Silvershade in earnest begins to drink from the wound in the submissive's neck, trashing in intense pleasure beneath the white and silver dominant. Silvershade claims the submissive with some last harsh thrusts of his hips and then succumbs to his own overload, filling the valve with his transfluids.

Both seekers breathe heavily in the post overload haze, optics locked in affection as they enjoy the afterglow of the intense mating. Then Silvershade lowers his helm and gently nudges at Allevaria's and Crossfire smiles when the dominant kisses the submissive passionately before lifting his heavy frame off of the smaller seeker.

Kissing is a new way for them to show affection towards the submissives, introduced to them by the Winglord. At first it roused suspicion, but then slowly spread among their people when Thundercracker openly used the gesture to show affection for his submissives. To see Starscreams and Skywarps reactions to the gentle touch of lips made many curious and not a few submissives insistent to try.

After that it spread like a wildfire and now all seekers uses the gentle gesture.

/Silvershade?/ He calls to the white and silver seeker. The dominant's helm whips around, a growl emerging from the vocalizer while the yellow optics narrows until Silvershade recognizes the other, then the features eases.

/Crossfire. What can I do for you? I thought you were recharging already./ Silvershade answers, straightens and walks towards the red and grey dominant. Allevaria and Salvacia entwines and enters lazily recharge, leaving the two dominants to speak in privacy.

/Not yet./ Crossfire replies, calmly waiting for Silvershade to join him. He gestures for the other dominant to follow him as he begins to walk away from the resting areas.

When they are a bit more secluded he stops and turns to face the white and silver dominant.

/I need you and your mates to be prepared to leave in an orn. Swiftstrike is sending a strike force to locate Thundercracker and I am going to lead it. He wants you and your trine to accompany me./ He explains to Silvershade in a low hushed voice.

/You know where he is?/ Silvershade asks, optics full of hope.

/Yes./ Crossfire answers, certain that he is right in his deduction.

/We will be prepared. Find me if you need anything. I will do what I can to help you./ Silvershade replies determined, his optics alight with countless emotions. They have all feared what has happened to Thundercracker, now they have the chance to find out.

/I will. I have more to do this night, but good recharge. Prepare your mates; we need to be ready to deal with everything. I can't rule out that something might have happened to our Winglord and that their abilities will be needed./ Crossfire adds seriously.

Silvershade nods before the dominant walks back to the two recharging submissives and Crossfire watches the white and silver dominant gently shield them with one of the large wings before he enters recharge.

Several cycles later Crossfire finally finds rest between his own trinemates and curls protectively around Starfall while murmuring comforting words. Meanwhile a contingent of seekers are out scouting the entry point to the alien planet and finding the resources they need when the strike force ventures to the planet holding none of their usual prey.

In Kaon this night turns into one of the Decepticons' worst nightmares.

The only time on the planet where they can feel somewhat safe from hunting seekers turns into chaos when a large contingent of seekers without warning overflies the ruined city-state, dives and captures their unsuspecting vulnerable prey.

Anguished and fearful screams follows the cacophony of toppling buildings when the seekers mercilessly digs out their prey from the last safe locations beneath the large buildings, completely emptying Kaon of the last remaining refuges living there, turning them into the resources Crossfire and the large strike force needs when it travels to Earth.


End file.
